About interview part 2

 In my previous writing, I discussed the reason why there are many dialogues in Japanese magazines but few, or almost none, in American magazines. Now, let's continue that discussion. To be realistic, the fee for participating in a dialogue is not particularly high. I can't speak for famous authors, but for someone like me, it's quite low. However, in return, I get to have a good meal. By a good meal, I mean a meal that I wouldn't consider paying for myself. Alcohol is also served. For those who don't drink, there is sometimes an after-party. This is how they compensate for the low fee. According to people from publishing houses, historically, most writers have been relatively poor. Even during dialogues, they can't enjoy delicious food unless they indulge a little. So, this is the kindheartedness of the editors, who occasionally want to treat the writers to some luxury. When I hear this, I think to myself, "Oh, I see. I understand," and I am impressed by the editors' thoughtfulness, just like Sei Shonagon. However, personally, even though I appreciate the good meal, I still wish for a higher fee because when it comes to food, I'm fine with just beer and tempura. Moreover, despite talking about thoughtfulness, the editors themselves seem to eat quite heartily. While muttering and complaining, I can't help but feel that this atmosphere is remarkably similar to an arranged meeting. It's like being in a slightly upscale restaurant or a private room in a restaurant, where the editor acts as a matchmaker and engages in small talk to lighten the mood. Once that phase is over, they say, "Well, from here on, please talk to each other." This is exactly like an arranged meeting, except for the presence of a tape recorder. I've heard that some people who met through dialogues actually end up becoming involved romantically, and when it reaches that point, who knows what will happen. Personally, I've never had such a fortunate experience. It makes me angry. But that aside, it is true that this "let's casually chat" approach would be somewhat difficult for American editors to comprehend, I suppose.