When I checked the dashboard this morning, I realized I'd written so many words without even noticing. It had basically become the highest word count of my writing career.
Before this, the most I'd ever written for a single book was just over two million words. Three million had seemed like an utterly unattainable number to me. Yet somehow, as I kept writing, I reached it myself. I was filled with emotion, so I couldn't resist coming over to write a few words and express how I felt.
At this point, the book had actually entered its later stages.
By my estimate, the main story would probably run around 3.5 to 3.8 million words. At the latest, it would end next March; at the earliest, it would wrap up during the Lunar New Year in February.
After that, though, there might be a lengthy side story about the era of Chu Sheng and Si Sui.
I'd try to bring it up to four million words.
On the one hand, I could earn a little more and strive to become a top-tier author next year.
On the other hand, writing side stories could help me maintain my touch and momentum, so that I wouldn't get rusty, stop updating, or grow lazy after resting for too long.
After all, my foundation wasn't strong enough, and I hadn't been writing books for very long. I also wanted to keep up some momentum, lest everyone forget me after too long a break.
So barring any surprises, once the side stories were over, I'd move straight into a new book without any gap.
Well, that was roughly what I had in mind for now. The specifics might depend on how my life was going then, but there probably wouldn't be too much deviation.
So for