People have been talking about update issues these past couple of days.
I'm opening a separate chapter to explain it again.
This isn't just my problem; it's something every author trying to push for recommendations faces.
During the new-book period, once a book passes 200,000 characters, that status is gone. For new authors hoping to get onto Sanjiang, it's the only stable channel for long-term exposure, and it also affects some new-book recommendations. Without that new-book tag, there will be fewer recommendations.
If updates are too fast, the book might fall off the rankings by the third round. A new book already lacks exposure, so how is it supposed to compete?
Please try to understand, everyone.
And even though this is a separate chapter, the chapters these past few days have all been around 4,300 characters. Authors who split their updates into smaller chapters might post two chapters, but that's the same word count as one of mine.
Let me promise again: after it goes premium, there will be at least 8,000 characters updated every day. That may not be especially fast, but I definitely won't be constantly taking leave because my back hurts.
As for how long people online have asked this book will take to finish, all I can say is that it depends on the response. If monthly votes and subscriptions are good, the author can cut out the time spent playing two games a day and write 2,000 more characters. If things are even better, I can cut out cooking and entertainment too, and write another 2,000.
As for pacing, recruit training is very important in the process of being a soldier, but it won't be exaggerated into over a hundred chapters or several hundred thousand characters.
I'm writing about firefighting to combine city life with military life. There will be everyday scenes; my previous book was half commercial and half slice-of-life, so I'm capable of padding out daily life. Don't worry about that.
But don't rush me.
I want to write more too, but there still has to be pacing, right? During recruit training, can someone just pick up the phone anytime and flirt with girls? Is that possible?
Let's talk about the storylines.
Sometimes the storylines may seem a little messy, jumping here and there, and some people have asked about the main plot.
Actually, my idea is very simple. The only main thread is time. Real time doesn't revolve around the protagonist. Every supporting character changes because of time and does things of their own, so I won't only show whichever parts readers want to see. I believe every event can have surprises, and no one lives as a one-dimensional stereotype, acting according to a script.
Anyone with only one face must be pretending. The human heart is complicated.
Of course, the writing will still have its focuses.
If you've spent two hours reading to get here, that means you should be able to accept it, so I won't try to talk anyone out of reading.
Everything will have its logic. If readers don't understand and feel that it's messy, then either I haven't tied it all together yet, or I did but didn't do it well.
That's entirely on me. Criticize me if I deserve it; maybe a good scolding will remind me of something.
As for chapter length.
After it goes premium, I'll adjust the chapter lengths, but they probably won't be under 3,000 characters.
As for bonus updates.
For a Leader-tier supporter, maybe one extra chapter, maybe two, depending on what I can manage.
For Silver... five extra chapters. I'll deliver within a week. Any more than that would just be bullshit.
That should explain everything, right?
So, monthly votes and subscriptions, comrades—you know what to do, right?
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, monthly votes!
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, keep following!