Thoughts on Going Live

Let me start by talking about the current book.

This is the second version; the previous one reached over 110,000 characters.

The reason for rewriting and abandoning the first version wasn't because of poor performance. At the time, readership data and everything else were quite good, peaking at 2,000.

Instead, I analyzed the creative process of Paperclip.

Some readers called it deconstruction, but it wasn't. I simply stated the reality of the situation.

As I mentioned in my previous book, filmmaking involves many steps, and nothing is accidental; it's all intentional.

And then there was no "then."

I won't go into too many specific details. I explained them in the comment section using my author account, but the comments were deleted.

Sometimes, I see comments from readers on the previous version in the backend, likely because they haven't refreshed.

I feel helpless, unable to even explain things, but this is the situation.

It's also my fault. My last book touched on sensitive topics, and I always seem to fall into these traps. Sigh!

This brings us back to the current book, which has two versions.

Not having read the first version won't affect your understanding of the current content.

Readers generally feedback that the second version is better.

This can be considered a blessing in disguise.

The rewrite happened about half a month ago, and looking back now feels like a lifetime ago.

At the time, I was driven by sheer determination. This version reflects my initial concept for the beginning, so I stayed up all night writing it.

Then, I got sick in the first week.

It took about ten days to recover. Right after I got better, I encountered an "assassin" with my takeout order, leading to vomiting and diarrhea. It took several more days to recover.

As of today, I've only been feeling well for less than a week.

It's been a bumpy road.

Thank you again to all my readers, both new and old, for your support. Without it, this book wouldn't have made it this far.

I also want to thank my editor, Ye Xiao.

My books do seem to have a lot of issues, O(∩_∩)O

The decision to go on shelves tomorrow is quite sudden.

I wasn't prepared, meaning I don't have much saved content.

Also, after rewriting, the word count is only 110,000 characters, which is relatively low. Publishing more free content would have improved the data, but I chose to go on shelves.

Firstly, the mental toll has been immense.

While it might sound a bit melodramatic, a book is like a child to an author. For me, rewriting over 100,000 characters is akin to Da Yue having a miscarriage – a severe blow, and I carried on purely on willpower.

It also made me feel a bit strange: I could persevere even when I was sick.

But once I recovered, I felt like "Auntie's visit" had arrived, and I didn't want to write anymore.

Besides the fatigue from overexertion, there's a sense of weariness, or perhaps fear.

When I write, I can't avoid self-censorship.

I have real trauma in this regard; anyone who followed my previous book knows this.

So, I thought it was best to go on shelves.

Once on shelves, with sales data, my editor can more confidently fight for my legitimate interests.

Otherwise, my writing style is too prone to being cut short.

Finally, let's talk about this book.

After rewriting, my sole pursuit is survival.

I have no other aspirations.

Although I believe my perspective is normal – I look at things from the land I live on, the basic education I received, and my common sense – for some reason or another, I seem out of place.

I don't want to analyze the reasons why.

In reality, there aren't always reasons to be found; when you encounter something, you encounter it.

I just want to exist.

To exist as well as possible, that's my greatest aspiration.

Beyond that, as a web novel, I believe it should be satisfying and not cause readers any frustration.

Therefore, in terms of plot, it's still an invincible, satisfying kind of story.

I have an outline and a general direction.

I've also collected a lot of material, but I'm not looking at it anymore. There's too much material, and it's easy to get lost in it. It's better to focus on the plot and the story.

This is also one of the lessons learned from my previous book.

For those who commented on the slow plot, it will be sped up after it goes on VIP.

Entering VIP chapters is relatively safer than free ones.

Of course, what I pursue is not just surviving, but continuing to fight.

I also ask everyone to continue walking with me!

The books I write are my thoughts and ideas. Although they only represent myself, they are still the result of much consideration.

Before my last book, Nezha 2, was released, I predicted that in our film market, a box office of over ten billion yuan wouldn't be difficult.

Thank you, Nezha 2! Thank you to the creative team of Nezha!

It makes my writing less awkward. Before, some people mocked me, and I couldn't express my own frustrations.

My judgment was based on fundamental conditions, but many people called me a braggart. Fortunately, reality has proven my judgment correct.

I also wrote in my last book that after Nezha 2, not all movies will make money like Wolf Warrior 2 or Nezha 1. Because the box office explosion of Nezha 2 has a reaction period.

Although it was only a short night, what was presented showed that people don't believe in any promotion anymore; they only trust their friends.

I even wrote this at the beginning of this book.

Audiences are currently not interested in movies. First, a movie must break the stereotypes created by the film industry itself to attract audiences.

Therefore, a passable commercial film must be released alongside strong films.

In other words, without Nezha 2, Detective Chinatown would not have achieved its current success. It might have lost a billion yuan, or even been halved, because it couldn't achieve cross-genre appeal.

Reality has once again validated my view. Nanjing Photo Studio has risen, and the box office for The Stage has followed.

Without films with normal perspectives breaking through, films like The Stage, which are passable but niche, would be ignored.

Photo Studio also proved that our audience has aesthetic taste. For a film with such a heavy theme to achieve this result shows that Chinese audiences are the best audiences!

Some readers have also pointed out that the narrative perspective is the same as my previous original work, 1937. I will say here again, I am just a novelist, and I know my own limitations; I am just theorizing on paper.

However, it can be considered another confirmation of my judgment. What is currently lacking are films with "normal" narrative perspectives. Even "normal" narrative perspectives seem rare, perhaps because "abnormal" ones are rampant.

I hope the film industry thrives, and what I write is justifiable, at least it won't make people think I'm bragging.

Overall, true authors dare to make judgments, and fortunately, my judgments have been decent.

Please continue to accompany this book through the drought!

Thank you!