Chapter 22: Negotiating Publication

"Hello Zhongyuan Yidian Hui:

Thank you again for your submission. We are pleased to inform you that Your work *I Want to Become an Immortal* has passed the final review of our publishing house. Our reviewing editors unanimously agree that your masterpiece features novel subject matter, a relaxed and fluid writing style that is uniquely its own, likable characters, vivid supporting roles, and a captivating plot — fully meeting our publishing standards. Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss the specific publishing arrangements.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Wishing you good health and an inexhaustible flow of inspiration!

— Evergreen of Xinchang Publishing House"

……

After reading this email, Cao Sheng found his feelings hard to put into words for a moment.

He was certainly happy.

In the original timeline, although he had been writing full-time for many years, he had entered the industry far too late. By the time he began writing, the publishing market for online novels in Taiwan had already been almost entirely taken over by the big-name authors.

By the time his own work reached a certain standard, the online novel publishing market in Taiwan had already shrunk beyond recognition, and even the big-name authors' works were difficult to publish there.

Therefore, before his rebirth, although he had been writing for many years, he had never once had a work published in Taiwan.

Nor had he ever been published on the mainland.

Because online novel publishing on the mainland had never done well.

As someone who made a living writing, the fact that his works had never been printed and published was certainly a regret in his heart.

So, seeing now that his own work could be published, he was very happy inside.

But even more, his ambition for the future was rapidly growing.

The reason?

He was now the first person to write online novels, and would probably also be the first author to publish online novels — he was already the undisputed pioneer of this industry.

Guo Xiaosi, Han Er, San Shao, Xihongshi and the others probably didn't even know what they were doing yet!

Yet he, Cao Sheng, had already secured such a first-mover advantage.

With such an advantage, he naturally had higher expectations for his own future.

For an online novel author, the standard of success, most of the time, is one and only one.

— That is, whether you have made money.

You say your book is well written, but when others ask how much you've earned, you say you haven't even signed a contract yet, haven't earned any royalties — who could look up to you?

You say your book is well written, your reader reputation is explosive, but when others ask how much you've earned, you say your monthly royalties are about three thousand, while others say theirs are a hundred thousand a month — do you still have the confidence to say your book is well written?

Online novel authors, from the very beginning of their existence, have long been nameless and without status — no official awards to recognize them, and no official monetary subsidies. Many people on the outside have never even heard of this profession. The only standard by which others judge whether your profession is good or not is, basically, how much money you can make.

Earn a lot, and others will envy you.

Earn little, and others will look at you as if you were a joke, and may even suspect there's something wrong with your brain, unable to understand why you would still do this line of work when it pays so little.

For Cao Sheng.

After his rebirth, although he had already written one book, *Days of Cohabiting with a Flight Attendant*, as well as the opening of his current book *I Want to Become an Immortal*.

He had been running on passion all along. Up to now, he had spent no small amount of time and energy, killed off who knows how many brain cells, and even poured in quite a bit on internet fees.

Yet he hadn't earned a single cent.

The title of "founder of online novels" sounds very impressive.

But it couldn't fool himself.

He had always been clear that if he couldn't earn royalties soon, his living expenses for this semester would soon run out, and when that time came, even his daily meals would be a problem.

But now?

The very first publishing house he submitted to had agreed to publish his *I Want to Become an Immortal*.

This news brought him not only a sense of accomplishment, but also the money he currently needed most.

With money, he could not only improve his meals, but also buy a laptop of his own as soon as possible, making it convenient to write every day without having to first write by hand into a draft notebook and then pull all-nighters at an internet cafe to convert it into an electronic manuscript.

He could also rent an apartment, providing himself with a better writing environment.

And also……

Next time a beauty wanted to date him, he wouldn't have to refuse because his living expenses were tight.

Money……

Is too important for a man.

In this era, only with money can you live with dignity; without money, all your fine qualities are worth nothing in the eyes of others.

For example: you are honest and trustworthy, hardworking and ambitious, filial to your parents, respectful to the old and caring to the young……

But if you have no money, apart from your parents and relatives, who would spare you a second glance?

In front of the computer.

Cao Sheng sat motionless for quite a while, staring blankly at the contents of this email in his inbox, reading it over several times. Many past events flashed through his mind, and only after a long while did his turbulent inner lake gradually calm down.

A faint smile quietly appeared at the corner of his mouth.

At this moment, a line flashed through his mind: A single Jin Dan swallowed into the belly, from now on my fate is mine, not heaven's.

Confidence, at this moment, filled his heart.

He began to organize his thoughts and reply to the publishing house.

— "Thank you! I'm very glad to have passed your review. It's already very late now. Can we officially discuss the specific publishing arrangements tomorrow afternoon at 2 p. m.?"

When sending this message, he glanced at the time in the lower right corner of the computer screen — 10:44.

It wasn't yet past midnight.

So, the "tomorrow afternoon" mentioned in his reply should not cause any ambiguity.

……

The next day, 1:30 p. m.

Cao Sheng arrived at the Starry Sky Internet Cafe early, opened a machine, and logged into his email.

Just as he expected, the manuscript-receiving editor from the publishing house, Evergreen, had already replied to him.

—"No problem, 2 p. m. today, be there or be square, looking forward to real-time communication with you — Evergreen"

Cao Sheng didn't rush to reply.

He waited until 2 o'clock, then replied: "Hello! I'm online now, are you there?"

Evergreen replied quickly: "Hello, I'm here, just preparing to discuss the publication of 'I Want to Become an Immortal' with you. May I ask if this book was independently created by you personally? Do the copyright of this book belong entirely to you personally?"

Cao Sheng: "Yes, this book was independently created by me personally, and all copyright belongs to me personally."

Evergreen: "Great! May I ask how long you plan to write this book? Approximately how many words in total?"

Cao Sheng: "The total word count depends on the market response to this book. If the market response is good, I can write it longer; otherwise, I can wrap it up at any time."

Cao Sheng didn't want to set a limit on the total word count of the entire book when signing the contract.

Because he knew that as a new author publishing his first work, the manuscript fee he could get definitely wouldn't be high, but he wanted to earn a bit more manuscript fee — so what to do?

His plan was: after this book of his was published and became popular, he would demand a raise in manuscript fee; if the publishing house refused, he would say he was preparing to wrap up the work soon.

Doing this might seem a bit shameless.

But if a man doesn't look out for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him.

Moreover, as long as when signing the contract he didn't agree with the other party on a minimum word count for the entire book, or set the expected total word count a bit lower, then the initiative on when to wrap up would be in his own hands.

When the time came, he would use his right to wrap up at any time to negotiate the issue of raising the manuscript fee — what problem was there with that?

Besides, if this book became popular and the other party still wasn't willing to raise the manuscript fee, then would the shameless one really be him, Cao Sheng?