Design: Ana Stjelja
In the long history of human existence, the kaleidoscope of professions has constantly changed, reflecting the dynamic nature of our society. From ancient times to the modern era, the number and form of jobs and occupations has undergone a fascinating metamorphosis, influenced by myriad factors such as cultural changes, technological advances, and economic trends. Delving into the intricate history of the professions, we uncover a fascinating narrative that reflects the adaptability and resilience of human efforts to work and create, or at least engage in the struggle for self-preservation.
You have certainly heard of professions such as doctor, lawyer, trader, nurse, IT expert... But have you ever heard of the profession “Ana Miloš”? You heard that right. Ana Miloš. A simple and easy-to-remember name has become an occupation. If you wonder how, in that case you have to read the book of the same name “By profession: Ana Miloš” by Miloš K. Ilić, a writer who committed the “perfect literary crime” and shocked and shook the Serbian literary scene with his confession.
In November 2023, on the website of the popular Serbian magazine Bookvar (edited by Milan Aranđelović), news appeared that threw everything into a puzzle. The title of that text was “Who is Ana Miloš? Is this the biggest fraud in Serbian literature?” The title itself attracted a lot of attention. This news also sounded like a bombshell on social networks, especially on the X platform, where various comments began to be made, as usual and in the former Twitter manner. Many wondered what it was all about. It was clear that a large number of people heard about the news, but few of them commented anything. Is this another journalistic hoax or marketing ploy? These were just some of the questions from readers. However, the very next day it was clear that the matter was serious because it was reported by all the leading Serbian media.
In order to unravel the enigma of why Ana Miloš became a profession, we must first delve into the captivating tale of its inception and the ingenious mind behind its creation and to explain who Ana Miloš is. It's not very easy either. Why? Because the creator of this “profession” skillfully and wisely thought out his every move. Nevertheless, we will try to descend into this thriller-adventure and at times the theatre of the absurd in the style of Eugène Ionesco.
Until November 2023, Ana Miloš was a young Serbian writer, a great revelation of the Serbian literary scene, the author of several books and the winner of several significant Serbian literary awards. And all this would be completely normal if Ana Miloš existed. However, Ana Miloš is a woman who does not exist, like Andrić's Jelena. It is actually a creation created in the talented and intelligent mind of its creator, the young Serbian writer and playwright Miloš K. Ilić. (who may grow into the Jozef K. of our time).
Here we have to look briefly at who faithfully portrayed the character of Ana Miloš and who presented herself to the public as Ilić's literary heroine. It’s Marija Milosavljević, a girl (and the writer's friend) from Belgrade who works in the field of management and production of theatre, radio and culture. Absurdly, it is the same culture that she managed to shake to the core with her false and very convincing appearance.
Writers have always embraced the use of pseudonyms, a common practice in the literary world. However, the protagonist of this story, the mastermind behind Ana Miloš, elevated this tradition to a new level. In the digital age, where creating virtual personas is commonplace, he opted for a bold endeavor. His goal? To unveil the absurdity of the inhuman world in the era of transhumanism.
As he recounts, the performance known as Ana Miloš was born. He crafted a meticulous plan to transform her into a literary sensation. Writing her books and meticulously preparing her for the unforgiving realm of Serbian literature – a space deemed by some as unfit for a character like Ana Miloš. Taking an unusual yet courageous step, he enlisted a friend, an actress, to shoulder the weight of becoming Ana Miloš - the fake author, exposing the superficiality and pretense of the literary world. Though initially seeming somewhat perplexing, Miloš K. began implementing his well-thought-out plan, a journey that unfolded over the course of five years. A plan that reached its culmination with the release of his book, titled “By profession: Ana Miloš”.
Photo: Private Archive
This is also the moment when Ana Miloš died. That great star of the Serbian literary scene, admired by many, met an instantaneous demise. Rest in peace to her soul. And did something else die with Ana Miloš? Faith in people? Common sense? Hypocrisy of the false literary elite? Ana erased all of them with an eraser in just one stroke. It was actually done by Miloš, its creator, the man who pulled the invisible strings of his well-crafted literary marionette.
The Serbian literary scene does not recall something like this, everyone agreed on that. However, the reactions of many were that it was just a simple marketing trick. But if the whole story is looked at from several sides, one comes to numerous conclusions, as well as questions.
How did an anonymous girl have the courage to embark on such a dangerous adventure in the first place? Wasn't she afraid of being found out? How she managed to convince several reputable publishers, numerous media, members of the jury, hosts of various podcasts in which she was a guest presenting herself as the writer Ana Miloš, and finally, how no one noticed it until now. The answer to some of these questions lies in the fact that a girl named Marija who assumed the identity of Miloš's literary creation A.M. is, in fact, a person who belongs to the world of theatre (but behind the scenes) and who prepared his role excellently and played it even more successfully. However, how to explain the reaction of the environment. How is it possible that no one in that chain suspected anything? Did our Miloš K. have any other accomplices who wisely remained silent all these years? That remains a mystery. And what is a good literary story without a mystery, nothing! There is no charm there.
Design: Ana Stjelja
Miloš K. did his dramaturgical part excellently. He wrote his play, chose the actress, and observed the audience's reactions for five years. We can somewhat envy him. If only we had the courage. But we didn't. There is a difference between us and him. He turned his Ana Miloš into a profession, while we wandered blindly and aimlessly (somewhat cowardly) through the dark corridors of the Serbian literary scene.
As Miloš K. masterfully executed his dramaturgical plan, the Serbian literary scene, in contrast, responded with unexpected reserve to the revelation of his literary experiment. The same Serbian literary scene reacted very shyly to the appearance of Miloš K.'s book. The silence among writers, editors, and cultural workers regarding what the media dubbed the literary fraud of the decade raises intriguing questions. Was it out of fear, powerlessness, or perhaps complete disinterest? Here and there is someone dared to speak a word or convey the news about this literary scandal that the Serbian literary scene does not remember, but everything remains silent and almost invisible.
And what did Miloš K. expect from his literary experiment?
Although Miloš's biography (he published several books under his own name) is much richer than the biography of his female literary creation, he seems to have remained on the margins of Serbian literature, while his creation Ana Miloš, absurdly, achieved much greater success. To make things even more absurd, Ana Miloš also has her own page on Wikipedia (which, after a literary precedent was discovered, was renamed to the Miloš K. Ilić page) and an Instagram account from which she communicated with her loyal readers.
Despite Miloš's extensive literary biography, his female creation, Ana Miloš, defied expectations by achieving remarkable success. This unconventional triumph extended beyond the realm of books to include an entire online persona, complete with a Wikipedia page and an Instagram account for direct communication with her readers.
Ana Miloš is actually the last literary reincarnation of Miloš K. Ilić, before that this author presented himself as Kosta Carić, Ivan Drnčula, Vladan Olgin... From a psychological point of view, the creation of alter egos or fictional characters for the sake of representation in real life can be connected with different psychological factors. That need to be someone else can come from a desire to escape, or a way to deal with identity issues, or a means to express aspects of one's personality that feel repressed. This behavior can also be a form of self-discovery or a way to navigate social situations with a perception of safety. Understanding specific motivations would require a deeper exploration of the individual's personal history and experiences. We are not talking about that here, although as a psychological phenomenon, it is also very interesting for research.
And how to explain it? While the author signed his himself as a male author he was not accepted in the literary and artistic circles. On the other hand, when he breathed life into Ana Miloš, selflessly handing over all his writings to her, he became accepted, celebrated and popular. Simply, people accept and love someone, and hate and never accept another. And the predominantly male population that rules the Serbian literary scene accepts young female authors best and most willingly. This is another aspect that Miloš K. points out to us. His Ana, appeared to the publishers, media and members of several juries that officially awarded her awards, quite acceptable. For what reason, we will never know. Some people simply have such karma, they attract envy and jealousy, while others attract pity or acceptance for reasons known only to themselves.
Books published by Ana Miloš and anthologies in which she was featured
Another potential topic that arises through this case of Miloš K. is the question of the so-called ghostwriting. In Serbia, this type of literary black market is insufficiently researched. There is no exact data on how many people actually write in the name of more or less famous writers. It is certain that something like that exists in Serbia, because it exists all over the world. Miloš K. was the ghostwriter of Ana Miloš. And with that he said everything, although he may not have said everything, but he said enough.
The legal consequences of this act will not be discussed here because it is not a topic, it will be dealt with (if they deem it necessary) by those authorities whose job it is. Here the topic is the phenomenon itself – Ana Miloš as a picture of a time, a society or a part of it, in this case it is the Serbian literary scene.
In an interview with Cultural Newspapers, the author reflected on whether the release of the book “By Profession: Ana Miloš” had, in a nuanced sense, alleviated a burden from his shoulders. Considering the years spent immersed in a creative obsession, he contemplated the transformation of his emotions throughout the course of this literary venture:
I was glad that the whole project came to an end, more or less as I wanted. I felt the need to write the book “By profession: Ana Miloš”and that meant that the game ended there. Of course, I'm terribly sorry that I didn't manage to do two or three more things that I had planned. However, in the whole game, experiment, literary subversion or whatever I want to call it all that was happening; therefore, I was not alone in the whole project. I also had to think of Maria, who introduced herself as Ana Miloš. And it was getting more and more tiring and boring for her to do it. We got too deep into the “scene” and her presence became mandatory in many situations in which she wanted no part. The feelings were different, but mostly I was excited. Sometimes I fell into dark moods, because I was constantly confronted with the vanity of that whole world. And as much as I undermined him from the inside all the time, I was still struck by the enormous hollowness of which it was made.
In addition to numerous issues that he raised with this aad the book(s) of Miloš K. Ilic and to observe in which direction his literary career will go, now that he has been freed from the burden of the great a lie he carried like his cross. It certainly wasn't easy either.
Those who fell for this scam may miss Ana Miloš. Still, they had high hopes for her and her career. Time will tell who is the winner and who is the loser. Nevertheless, the case of Ana Miloš is proof that there is no perfect crime!
The production of this story was supported by the Thomson Foundation as part of the Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans project (CC4WBs). This story was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
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