Chapter 168: First-day sales are out

It wasn't just the Mantanshe Society's *Tokyo Literature* that noticed *April Youth* starting to serialize Akiwara Yuto's work.

Soon, other competitors also noticed and attached importance to it.

For the publishing industry, the name Akiwara Yuto has been quite famous for a period of time recently. After all, the other party not only won an award but also had a series of disputes with the Mantanshe Society.

So once the news spread, they began to be vigilant one after another, judging that *April Youth* was likely to "make a comeback," and even wanted to challenge their status.

The editorial departments of these magazines naturally wouldn't agree. After all, the literary journal publishing market is declining overall, and killing one competitor is one less.

It was finally seen that the sales of *April Youth* had fallen to only 70,000 copies, and it was about to fall and give up the market, so how could it be allowed to catch its breath.

For a time, major magazines began to increase budget applications for advertising and publicity, and while increasing layouts in newspapers, they even attached importance to channels with relatively low cost-effectiveness such as radio and television.

The Mantanshe Society's *Tokyo Literature* attached the most importance to Akiwara Yuto. Under Matsushima Kazuhiro's application, the publicity layout for advertising increased from 5 to 7, and they were all newspapers with a certain influence.

At the same time, they increased the emphasis on the works of the two portal writers, Seto Tamae and Nakata Keito, in the publicity, and let book reviewers say quite a few good things.

Jingfan Society's *Spring of Literature* followed closely behind. In addition to consolidating existing layout publicity, it strengthened cooperation with universities.

It even passed a decision to increase the kickbacks given to bookstores in the vicinity of many schools.

Toei Society's *Tokyo Youth* reacted the slowest, but this magazine had the highest sales volume, so its cash flow was also the healthiest.

Therefore, for the possible threat of *April Youth*, they only announced that a new work had started serialization.

Regardless, for a time, the entire literary journal circle began to get nervous: major magazines successively took out their own weapons. Those with money threw money, and those without money increased channels, looking like they were ready to start fighting.

After hearing these rumors, Akiwara Yuto couldn't help but feel a bit excited.

After all, being able to compete with writers of other magazines on the same stage was a very interesting thing.

Yesterday, when the new issue of *April Youth* went on sale, that Editor Dacheng called. The Textbook Publishing House had additionally allocated a publicity budget of 30 million yen and arranged to increase publicity in several newspapers.

However, with all magazines increasing publicity now, how much publicity effect *April Youth* can achieve is another matter.

So what can truly support sales is still the quality of the serialized works.

Akiwara Yuto thought of this and subconsciously looked at the position of the door.

Speaking of which, the first-day sales of *April Youth* should have been out, right? Why hasn't a phone call come in yet?

Just when he was puzzled, the phone rang. He immediately stood up, walked toward the entrance on the first floor, and answered the phone.

Dacheng Lixiang's voice came from the receiver.

"Master Akiwara, the first-day sales data has been counted. Due to the publicity in place, yesterday's first-day sales were about 27,000 copies. It is expected that by the end of this week, sales can exceed 100,000 copies."

Her voice was very happy. In her view, this time, by agreeing to give up part of the benefits to invite Akiwara Yuto to join *April Youth*, it was undoubtedly the most correct decision.

Relying solely on the name Akiwara Yuto, which had appeared frequently in newspapers recently, attracted quite a bit of interest from the public.

If it were another writer, even a more senior "old man" in the literary world, it is estimated that he wouldn't reach this effect.

No, it should be definitely wouldn't reach this effect!

So after learning the first-day sales, she skipped Awazu Hideki and called Akiwara Yuto personally, wanting to let the other party feel excited after knowing the results.

But she didn't know that Akiwara Yuto wasn't as happy as she thought after hearing this result.

In Akiwara Yuto's view, although the first-day sales data looked good, it was actually just average.

After all, the other three major publishing houses have launched a series of "offensives," and if this continues, the effect of advertisements and book reviews will only get worse and worse.

Because readers will have "aesthetic fatigue," under continuous bombardment, it is impossible to buy corresponding books just by seeing a book review.

Besides this, the reader base of the other three journals was already large. The smallest one now has weekly sales of more than 200,000 copies, and the largest one doesn't even need to be mentioned; weekly sales have reached 300,000 copies!

In contrast, *April Youth*, after announcing his new serialization, only increased weekly sales from the original 70,000 copies to an estimated 100,000 copies or so.

The gap with the other three is still too big!

Akiwara Yuto thought for a moment and said to the receiver: "Editor-in-Chief Dacheng, are there any other channels to increase sales?"

Dacheng Lixiang thought Akiwara Yuto would be happy, but didn't expect to hear such a reply.

She thought for a while and said puzzledly: "Master Akiwara, are you dissatisfied?"

In the current fiercely competitive literary journal market, just announcing the news of the other party's serialization in the magazine can increase 30,000 copies.

This number doesn't look like much, but it's 40% of the original sales, which can definitely be counted as a big happy event—if it continues like this, the sales of *April Youth* will definitely be able to gradually return to the level of about 150,000 copies.

So, she really didn't understand why Akiwara Yuto was dissatisfied.

However, after hearing Editor-in-Chief Dacheng's confusion, Akiwara Yuto immediately reacted and cooperated: "No, I am still relatively satisfied, just want to understand the subsequent actions of the editorial department."

He and *April Youth* are just in a cooperative relationship, so it's better not to care too much.

Otherwise, he might be thought by the other party that he wants to interfere with affairs.

"So that's how it is," Dacheng Lixiang nodded and answered: "In terms of publicity, the editorial department cannot apply for more budgets, but for other channels, we will discuss it in a meeting."

Akiwara Yuto was a bit puzzled, "Other channels?"

Hearing Akiwara Yuto's question, Dacheng Lixiang thought for a while and explained specifically.

"*April Youth* is, after all, a journal under the Textbook Publishing House, so we can communicate with the textbook department to see if they can help us introduce some school leaders and hold some activities similar to signing events."

She paused and added: "At that time, I will have to trouble you, Master Akiwara. As for the labor fee for the signing event, we will pay you separately."

Akiwara Yuto didn't expect there were these relationships, but he thought for a moment and subconsciously took a cold breath.

Good guy, *April Youth* is aiming at Jingfan Society's *Spring of Literature* to grab their market!

After all, the one most keen on expanding the student market now is this one!

However, he felt a little relieved. After all, if compared to all publishing houses' connections in the education circle, the Textbook Publishing House is undoubtedly the most abundant.

So the channel strategy Dacheng Lixiang mentioned undoubtedly has considerable feasibility.

Maybe it can really pull up quite a bit of sales!

Akiwara Yuto nodded and answered with a smile: "I know about this matter. When it's arranged, just tell me in advance."

"Then I'll trouble you then!" Dacheng Lixiang responded with a smile and intended to end the call.

But just when she intended to say "excuse me," Akiwara Yuto said again.

"The manuscripts for the second and third issues of *The Invisible Guest* have already been written. Please trouble Editor Awazu Hideki to come over this afternoon."

"So fast!?" Dacheng Lixiang was a bit surprised.

She had been an editor-in-chief for so many years, and it was relatively rare to see writers who could submit manuscripts in advance and deliver two issues at once.

But she quickly reacted and answered: "I know, thank you for your hard work."

6 PM, Dacheng Lixiang sat at the desk, looking at Awazu Hideki who was standing and asked.

"Have you received these two issues of Master Akiwara's work? Have you confirmed that there are no errors?"

Awazu Hideki nodded, handed over the file bag containing the manuscript, and answered: "A total of 65 pages of manuscripts, all manuscripts have been checked once, and it is ensured that there are no errors."

Dacheng Lixiang nodded, took the file bag, and opened it.

She wanted to see what content Akiwara Yuto would write for the next two issues of *The Invisible Guest*? ===== CHAPTER 169 =====