Chapter 69: Release Remarks: A Doomed Author

I got the notice yesterday that the release will be on December 1, i. e., after midnight; it wasn't sudden—I was already mentally prepared.

Many authors feel very uneasy before a release, because subscription numbers decide a book's life or death and also determine the author's financial fate.

I'm now emotionally steady and indifferent to life and death.

Because I know I'm already doomed.

Today the favorites have only reached three thousand, fantasy is this lukewarm, the overall subscription ratio is so dismal it's unbearable; how high can the subscriptions possibly rise?

I've already lowered my expectations to the bottom so I won't be hit.

Lowering expectations doesn't mean giving up, but I don't want to make any grand speeches; right now I just want to grind out words and strive for steady updates.

I'm clumsy with the keyboard, so I type slowly; after the release I'll try to update two chapters—six thousand words—each day, and write a third chapter if I'm feeling good.

The book's numbers are poor; that's my own problem.

According to my outline, I want to create a setting that combines several classic fantasy worlds, including Warhammer, Feral (Nethershiel), Azeroth, Dragonlance, The Lord of the Rings, Dark Souls, The Witcher, Elder Scrolls, etc. Many famous characters will appear later (the Supreme Council's Twelve Holy Soul Wizards, each based on a prototype; the Silver Star Duke is currently more mysterious, but the prototype of the Hong Shi Duke is very obvious—wonder if anyone has noticed). I have also painstakingly refined the class system for a long time; to do so I have read a huge amount of books and materials from these worlds, played many of the games, and the setting alone is nearly one hundred thousand words, covering various Holy Soul Elements, Demonkin classifications, divine oppositions, geography, racial branches, and even a rough chronicle, striving to perfect this imagined world. It took almost a year in total, and I have poured a lot of effort and blood into it.

But when I actually started writing, I realized the setting is actually secondary; the story has to be compelling for the book to be good.

So far, the plot is a bit clichéd, the characters are caricatured, the main line is unclear, there are few highlights and many flaws, and my writing skill is limited; going back to revise now is impossible.

It's truly a pity; I can only redeem it in the later chapters, doing my utmost to write something compelling.

Despite the many shortcomings of this book, I'm still very grateful to every friend who voted, tipped, invested, or read along—thank you for your support!

Also thanks to my editor Danqing; each recommendation is a validation of me—thank you!

If I activate VIP tonight, I'll first add two chapters; big guys, please bless me with a subscription!

Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen.

(End of chapter)