Aha, today’s issue is just casual, let’s talk about something that every author can’t avoid——
Word of mouth!
As the plot and word count slowly expanded, the operation reminded me several times: the reputation of "Immortal" on the Internet began to become polarized.
If you like it, you can't wait to hold it to the sky;
It's so annoying, I want to throw it to the ground and step on it.
But this is actually a good thing, because "The Immortal" received mostly negative reviews within four months after it was put on the shelves, which means the latter type is more common; but as the readership group grows, the number of people who like it is also rising rapidly.
Now it has finally reached 50-50.
At first, Jiufang thought it was strange.
The three old books have not encountered this kind of problem in the past. The most common feedback from readers is that they feel that the pace is too slow while reading, or that there are occasional disputes about the plot. This is the normal scope of discussion.
But like now, some people say my writing is too bad, some people say my writing is too cliché, some people say I don’t know how to write fairy tales, and some people get more and more angry as they read and want to grab the keyboard and teach me how to write...
Emmm, I can only say that we are not on the same channel.
So fierce and strange arguments always break out around this book.
To all friends who like "Immortal" and work hard to recommend "Immortal" to others, Jiufang thanks you.
When what you like has not yet become mainstream, it actually takes courage to firmly believe that you have a unique vision.
After all, most people just go with the flow.
The aesthetics of most people, whether readers or authors, can be guided, assimilated and changed.
In this era of convergence of everything, if you want to firmly believe that you are not wrong, you have to bear pressure and criticism.
I am a very malleable writer. I can either speculate on hot topics or follow trends. In the era of industrialization, what can’t be mass-produced? Moreover, it has become a "volume within a volume" of enjoyable articles. In fact, it is not that easy to write well.
Masters have their own secret methods and experiences.
But I believe in two more points:
Good things must be able to withstand the test of time.
A good author should grow together with his works.
If you extract all the lovable elements and place them in modules, it will be a routine.
If you only use routines to write articles, it will be the same whether you write more or less. It is nothing more than the arrangement and combination of modules. In the end, the only gain is proficiency——
There's still money.
Of course, many readers are not disgusted with this, or even say they are disgusted with it. In fact, the body is very honest, because it has formed a path dependence, and they cannot get used to trying new and strange things, and finally return to the old ways.
It seems like everyone is happy, the readers are passing their time, and the author is making money.
But this is inconsistent with my original intention.
I came to Qidian to enlighten myself, to pursue innovation and change. If I just stay in my comfort zone, how can I have a chance to break the ceiling of my writing?
I have written four books, each with a different theme and style, because I was in a different state of mind when writing. Among them, "The Immortal" has the biggest leap.
In the book, it is the growth process of the protagonist as he slays demons along the way.
Outside the book is the author's bumpy and thorny road to enlightenment.
Both of us focus on facing difficulties and making progress bravely:)
The difference is that the author is the God of this book, and we all know that Mr. He’s efforts will have good results in the end; but the author lives in reality, and God will not tell me whether my direction is correct or my efforts.
Can it be exchanged for success?
Effort and success are not directly correlated in reality, let alone cause and effect.
This is also a choice every author faces:
A certain reputation or an uncertain future?
My choice is the latter.
It is now 2023, and the trend this year is to lie flat, to show off, and to be stubborn. These trends have penetrated into online articles and have even become a trend.
However, if the author is not willing to take risks and grow up with the protagonist, how can this book be attractive?
As for whether the writing is good or not, and whether it will be accepted by most people in the end——
Give it time.
So looking back at the previous question, why is the reputation of "Immortal" so polarized?