Summary of the fourth anniversary! Readers of Junzi and Sword Girl come in and chat.
In this single chapter, no monthly votes are required.
Monthly tickets be damned, we are not online beggars, licking our faces wherever we go, begging for monthly tickets.
I just finished updating Riwanjia and am going to take a shower and catch up on my sleep.
Halfway through rubbing it, I suddenly remembered that today is Children’s Day!
June 1st.
Four years ago today, June 1, 2020,
Xiaorong uploaded the first chapter of "I Have a Sword Fairy Wife" on Qidian.com because of his hobbies. "This person is like a rainbow".
At that time, I never imagined that four years later, on June 1st, I would be sitting in front of the computer and writing this single chapter.
It's like a lifetime ago.
From sophomore year to now 18,
For four years, a book of Sword Lady and a book of Gentleman, totaling 4.7 million words, was typed out word by word.
I dare say that maybe I wrote it with a lot of curses, but every word was the best I could achieve at the moment I typed it.
Many brothers say that I like water and like to write details. This is because I feel like I have an obsessive-compulsive disorder that every word in the book must meet my personal standards of satisfaction. Therefore, when written, it is naturally very "heavy", sloppy, and even
I will also go back and make corrections like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Often when I take a shower, I will suddenly rush out of the bathroom, pick up my phone, open the backend, and modify a single word that I just thought didn't make sense when I reviewed it in my mind.
Saying this is not self-praise, but helplessness.
So Xiaorong is actually a very internally disturbed person.
This was mentioned in the final chapter of Sword Girl.
A work will always be affected by the personality of the creator.
This is especially obvious in Jian Niang. This is also the work that Xiaorong feels most guilty about. I was the one who caused it. In my heart, it is definitely the best in the world. Although many people scold it, it is what Xiaorong loves.
The best. (Writing this, my eyes are a little sore)
Come back.
A gentleman is slightly better and is less influenced by the creator.
Xiaorong summarized and summarized all the painful problems he encountered with Jianniang and tried his best to reflect on them before he started writing, so it was called practice writing.
So compared to a story like Sword Girl, for which I had never thought about the ending, Xiaorong had already conceived the finale of The Gentleman when he opened the book.
We also chose the theme of temples that are based on Wu and Zhou of the Tang Dynasty, a "small but beautiful" world view.
Anyone who has seen Sword Girl knows that a small world of low martial arts like a gentleman, placed in Xianxia Xiang's Sword Girl, is a secular dynasty in a certain continent, or a cave heaven blessed by the treasures of a sect on a certain mountain.
.
The protagonist of Junzi is also the least like Xiaorong compared to the protagonist of Sword Girl.
Except for xp, I tried my best to avoid the influence of personal style on him,
Unless the plot is too narrow due to Xiaorong's personal experience, which limits the plot development of the protagonist who should be more exciting and in line with the development of the character, this is a force majeure.
He has his own character!
Regarding the character of the protagonist, there is one thing that Xiaorong seems to have never mentioned in the book.
The prototype of the gentleman protagonist is Zhang Mazi and Faust, a combination of the two.
Therefore, his temperament is both rational and romantic, both pessimistic and optimistic, both painful and determined.
Zhang Mazi is very similar to Faust.
They all embrace personal dreams and selfish desires with collective interests and careers.
Therefore, in the process of completing their careers, they are not abandoning their selfish desires, but actively embracing them while earning wages for the livelihood of the people.
This is the realization of a common value.
Therefore, in some plots, Xiaorong subconsciously and tirelessly verbose:
Is the heart of one person the heart of thousands of people, or is the heart of thousands of people the heart of one person?
Xiaorong really didn't want to mention such a grand and boring proposition in a novel where everyone was having fun.
What values are taught in private life,
But occasionally I still can’t help but be verbose due to my desire to express myself. I hope everyone can forgive me and just treat it as something I can’t help but do.
I really like a word mentioned in a message from a gentleman reader.
Humanistic care.
The protagonist has humanistic care!
Weak and strong, He will definitely support the weak!
Where there are many people and where there are few people, he will always stand for the one with more people!
Isn't this what Zhang Mazi and Faust were doing in the history of mankind?
This can make some readers feel this slightly when they turn off the screen and pause after getting tired of watching it.
As an author, I am very satisfied.
In fact, compared to Zhang Mazi, a gentleman protagonist who is serious about big things but not serious about small things, he is more Faustian.
Zhang Mazi is too "high". If he were to be relied upon entirely, a gentleman would not be able to write. The simplest question before him is the love between children, and these would not be possible to develop.
So use "Faust" to reconcile.
Faust was originally an old bachelor who was full of economics. He studied all his life and was eager to enjoy the wonderful life outside.
He made a deal with the devil with his soul and got a young body, as if he had lived another life to embrace life.
Faust does not seek an afterlife, but only cares about this world.
After loving, missing, and being betrayed in this world, he chose to tie his personal desires to the collective cause and work hard to do things that benefit the people.
However, with the "help" of the devil, Faust failed and even unjustly killed a peasant family. He was blinded by guilt.
Finally, he grew old and was buried in a hole dug by the devil.
The sound of shovels colliding with stones made him, who was blind and in a daze in the grave, mistakenly think that it was the sound of free people working diligently on the earth to build shelters for living and working in peace and contentment.
So Faustus said something like "This life is enough" with a satisfied look on his face, which inspired the original contract and lost his soul to the devil.
But when the devil was excited and about to take away his soul, an angel came, saved his soul, and took him to heaven.
This is a very interesting story.
Xiaorong actually quoted it. In the first volume, the protagonist told people that what he liked most was the sound of everyone working together to control floods at the Zheyi Canal construction site during the day.
The most annoying and painful thing is the sound of others calling him master.
It is also a subconscious tribute to Faust.
In addition to the protagonist’s character,
In fact, there are main lines, perspectives, rhythms, techniques, etc.
Compared with Jian Niang, Junzi has made great improvements in his writing methodology.
However, there are also some unsatisfactory aspects, and many readers have pointed them out.
Take the latest climax as an example,
The section where the Xingzifang Buddha collapsed and Lin Cheng and others bowed their heads.
Many people think that Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran and others died too easily, too quickly and not satisfying enough.
Afterwards, it can be concluded that this is the expectation deviation caused by the author's vision and the reader's vision.
Xiaorong's author's vision is that within one chapter, a few lines of text can resolve all the conflicts and smooth out all the information gaps, which will give a quick and intense feeling of satisfaction.
But I have overlooked one thing. From the reader's perspective, not all the emotions in this paragraph are in place, or in other words, not all are released.
There are two reasons.
First, Lin Cheng, Wang Lengran, and Wei Shaoqi died too quickly. They guessed it but were not sure that it was the protagonist who did it.
Just imagine, if the protagonist makes his debut in this chapter, and the readers follow his first-person perspective, take it in, and solve the enemies who are regretful and fearful under his powerful power one by one, wouldn’t it be more comfortable?
?
Because there is the first-person perspective of the protagonist, readers will subconsciously take in the story, make up their minds and mobilize their emotions.
It's not that the protagonist is not present, and the enemy has already stopped before he can mobilize his emotions.
Secondly, the protagonist’s actions are hidden from the readers from beginning to end.
Including the first scene when the protagonist looks up at the old stone bricks of the bridge when returning to the city from the front line, then repairs the west city gate later, and then gets the [Tripod Sword] hidden in the giant Buddha.
All of this was done secretly, with only foreshadowing and no thorough explanation.
In the words of a friend after listening to it, Xiaorong also deceived the readers. He not only deceived the villain, but also deceived the readers' perspective. The information was not in place.
Therefore, except for a few readers who were aware of the foreshadowing and the protagonist's intentions in advance, many brothers read this paragraph in confusion, making various guesses about the protagonist's actions, and were ready to read the explanation in the next few chapters.
But from Xiaorong's author's perspective, I even felt that it was written clearly enough. At first, I was ready to start the victory settlement without explaining it...but my friend woke me up.
It’s not fun enough to write like this.
Therefore, we have to change our thinking and consider issues more from the reader's perspective, rather than from the author's perspective.
But Xiaorong is really satisfied with this section. Excluding the watery part, its concept is exquisite and interesting.
It even has a bit of a fable. (laughs)
Xiaorong borrowed the climax technique from the newly released movie "Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Evils", yes, it is the famous scene of "headshot in the auditorium".
There is this movie review online:
Why is it that the protagonist always shoots the head with ease, even after being buried alive like Superman, he comes back from the dead, escapes from the coffin, and goes to the auditorium to shoot the villain in the head?
Because the "gun" in the movie is not exactly a gun, but also an elegant ritual weapon.
When the protagonist gets rid of the "greed, ignorance, and anger" that are the main contradictions in the whole film one by one in the plot, the "gun" used as a ritual weapon is used for judgment and termination! So it is a perfect shot and a headshot!
So the protagonist comes back from the dead like a superman!
If the "greed, ignorance, and anger" in the plot are not solved, the "gun" will never hit anyone, the gun will always be empty, and the conflict will not be ended.
It does not follow the logic of reality, but the logic of film and television art.
[Tripod Sword] is the same!
In the climactic plot where the giant Buddha collapses and Lin Cheng is executed, it is not only a powerful magic weapon, but also a "ceremonial weapon", just like the gun above that is always accurate.
Even the highest ritual in the entire book.
Its appearance represents judgment.
As the spokesperson of the feudal imperial power, the empress who wins the hearts of millions of people with one person's heart, as long as her golden body is not broken, the [Tripod Sword] can't do anything to her, and it can't even do anything to Lin Cheng and others who represent her will!
So, when was the empress’ golden body broken in this plot?
It starts with the protagonist saying "I will refuse to obey the imperial edict until my death" in public!
The Wang family's mother and son died tragically because of the forced statue creation.
Returning to the Prince of Xunyang's Mansion, Yuan, Yan, Chen and other ministers who had previously obeyed the imperial power felt guilty and withdrew from the statue and refused to be accomplices.
Finally, Rong Zhen, who is the most loyal female officer of the Empress, doubts herself when the Xingzifang Buddha is about to be completed, hesitates and turns around to find the protagonist.
Step by step, the empress' golden body was peeled off like an onion.
Therefore, in the climactic chapter where the giant Buddha collapsed just mentioned, the tripod sword appeared as a "ritual weapon".
Lin, Wei, Wang and others promoted the statue of Xingzifang, which was a waste of life and money. The people who were protected by the majesty and golden body of the empress were bound to die!
So I only had to write a few lines about chopping melons and vegetables. At that time, Xiaorong felt that if he had to write for an extra second, it would be a waste of the previous preparation.
The progression of the plot in this paragraph, as well as the hidden artistic logic, made Xiaorong write it very happily, with passion and dancing.
But what about the effect.
Said it before.
It’s not fun enough, it’s fast to watch, there’s no sense of immersion, you feel unclear, or you just say “oh”.
Only a few readers nodded and thought it was okay.
So...it's just self-pleasure.
Ideal is full, the reality is very skinny.
If you think about it carefully, this plot, in addition to its "artistic logic", also draws lessons from the movie.
The foreshadowing of "deceiving the reader's perspective" is based on the famous climactic scene of killing the emperor in "The Son-in-law".
But Xiaorong is not mature enough in mobilizing the emotions of readers other than lsp.
Speaking of which, this plot is a bit similar to the plot in "A Song of Ice and Fire", in which Queen Cersei humiliates herself and parades through the streets, then blows up the church with wildfire and destroys her opponents.
It is also a climax, it is also unexpected, and it also clears away all conflicts in an instant.
However, this technique of "deceiving the audience" is only suitable for film and television works, which can make the audience say it is wonderful.
A novel that is not very suitable for written media.
Because readers need to make up their mind.
Film and television works can directly present the scene, eliminating the need for the audience to figure it out, not to mention BGM and other means to fully mobilize emotions... Anyway, it must be more convenient than written works.
Therefore, if this plot is presented in pictures, it must be stronger and more powerful than words.
The image and atmosphere are up to par.
It is suitable as a script for film and television adaptation, and it will definitely be wonderful.
However, flaws are flaws. As a novel, if the climax is not satisfying enough, it is flaws, and you can’t make up for it afterwards.
To sum up, the reason is caused by the way of writing.
Therefore, the next thing that needs to be paid most attention to in this book is the improvement in writing.
Write, write, write!
There is no problem with the plot. As a "ritual weapon", the tripod sword will definitely have its gorgeous trial later.
But how to write with a sense of pleasure is the only criterion for testing writing methods.
In fact, there have been similar corrections and progress recently.
This is the harvest and settlement content after the climax that I am writing now.
Xiaorong was not thrown out all at once, but was integrated into the interesting plot, which not only extended the feeling of harvest and settlement, but also paved the way for the next plot.
So far, it looks pretty good.
In fact, these shortcomings were not all noticed by Xiaorong himself. Many thanks to his two good friends.
One is Honey Girl, and the other is "Nuclear Watcher". They are both authors, and the latter one will not reveal his pen name.
Xiaorong is currently living with them as a roommate, ahem, he doesn't do fencing.
Let’s talk about life.
Looking back on the four years, the first two years were devoted to writing Sword Girl, there was no circle, and there were no changes. But the most impressive thing was last year.
Last year in 2023, Xiaorong had three biggest gains.
One was in the first month of the new year when I started writing Junzi. My grades were not bad and I was writing part-time. At the same time, I had the best book friends like you.
One is getting over a failed online relationship.
The last one is to get to know my colleagues Honey Girl and "Nuclear Watcher".
This year has been really fruitful.
As mentioned before, Xiaorong is a young man from a small town who is prone to self-conflict because he has been introverted and autistic since he was a child and read novels, and he was immersed in writing books in college.
But these two good friends have no internal friction at all, and getting along with them always gives me positive energy.
Yes, always!
They also corrected many of my paranoid notions of internal friction.
Instead, I might be consuming them.
However, as a buddy, I sometimes give them maximum emotional value, hehe.
Xiaorong is from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, Mi Zhiji is from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, and Heping is from Daqing, Northeast China.
The three people who grew up in different environments are really very different, but they are strangely harmonious and complementary.
We often play skewers together on the street, chat about writing books, or go out together in the middle of the night to collect information.
From Mi Zhiji, I learned to be informal and generous in doing things, and not to remember small gains or losses.
Suddenly I remembered that the last time he saw me stealing the small bench he used to rest his feet when he was broadcasting code words, a few days later, early in the morning, he went upstairs with a package, laughed and said it was my package, and asked me to guess what it was.
Hey hey good buddy.
He Ping is a well-read man and is nicknamed "Internet Writer Wang Yuyan". By communicating with him, I learned a lot of expert knowledge.
At the same time, I also learned from him the openness and cheerfulness of Northeastern gentlemen.
Look at it this way, women and so on, go ahead! Brother, you smell so good! (laughing)
However, these two boys have good family backgrounds. If they don't write books, they will have no choice but to go back and inherit "billions of dollars in wealth."
Damn it, the young man in this town almost broke his teeth, but luckily he didn’t break them, otherwise he would have to swallow them obediently...
Come back.
On the 4th of last month, during the double monthly voting period, Mi Zhi Ji took the lead and cast a wave of monthly votes with everyone, pushing Junzi to the top.
Looking back now, I can see that the results were excellent. The data has more than quadrupled compared to previous months. My fellow editors were very surprised and said that my book was starving because it had too little exposure before.
This month, Mi Zhi Ji and He Ping took the lead in voting again. Xiao Rong was actually a little panicked and felt that the wind and waves were high. However, He Ping said to me in his unique tone of Northeastern masters:
Xiaorong, you have to know that you will only grow if you stand in that position and experience massive exposure and data fluctuations! Which great author has not been trained in the stormy waves of exposure?
color!
After listening, I felt a breath in my chest, which turned from subtle to intense.
Damn it, I’ve coded it so that I can have the nerve to ask you for monthly tickets!
Didn’t I promise to do the third watch in the early hours of last night, but accidentally fell asleep and only made up for it at noon. At that time, when "Heping" went out in the morning and saw me, he patted me on the shoulder with a sigh and said: "Xiaorong, two
My adoptive father is very disappointed in you."
hateful.
He is truly unworthy of a man.
Let me reiterate, although they are loyal to each other, I am still their adoptive father. I hope everyone knows this!
Because the brothers of Junzi and Sword Lady are my adoptive fathers. (Confirmed)
The gentleman and the sword lady have the best book friends.
Brothers often say that gentlemen and sword girls are not suitable for studying.
Yes, because Xiaorong was originally a left-behind child who once hid in bed all night long and read the "Knife Edition" online article, immersed in fantasy all day long.
Now that I have grown up, I have started to write. From beginning to end, I subconsciously write around the experience of watching the book in one go. I even don’t want to go to the end point too early and end this fantasy journey.
The Gentleman and the Sword Girl is a love letter written to every lonely reader similar to myself.
I will personally hand it over to you on the day I finish it.
Finally, look back on four years again.
Didn't do anything,
I left two books, met three or two friends, and met you.
Happy Children's Day, forever eighteen.
Let’s end with a sentence from Lu You’s “Jiannan Poetry Draft”:
In the autumn of Chunxi, I watched the sea tide; I occasionally tied the boat to its door; I dragged my stick and swam again; it felt like a world away.