Chapter 22 of 100

Chapter 22

16 min read3,882 words

【Feeling like I'm playing a single-player game alone, please give me some support, let the author see that someone is always accompanying me!】

For the whole day, Lin Han spent his time in anxiety and hesitation. This was his first science fiction novel, and even with the praise from many editors of "Science Fiction World" and the self-deletion of tweets by many science fiction authors, it was ultimately the readers who would decide its reputation and sales.

He anxiously refreshed the internet, hoping to see the latest reviews but was also a bit afraid to see them. Opening and closing, opening and closing, he kept repeating this cycle, unable to calm down.

This deep worry about the unknown greatly troubled him. He couldn't write anything, nor could he read any novels. He spent the whole day in a daze.

Fortunately, at this moment, a text message arrived on his phone. It was from his good friend from university, Wang Hao.

"Lin Han, you finally decided to start again. I always thought your writing was particularly good back in university, and you should have become a screenwriter. Now you've become a writer. I can read your novel here in Wulong, and it's really good, with a strong sense of imagery, making it easier to adapt to the big screen."

After seeing this message, Lin Han realized he hadn't been in touch with him for quite some time. He didn't know which production team this guy was in.

So he quickly typed on the touchscreen and replied, "Boss Hao, you're still paying attention to my novel despite your busy schedule. You're truly a fan. What are you doing at the Wulong film base? Which production team have you joined recently?"

"Ah, I joined China Television, and the TV station is shooting 'Journey to the West' here, which is short of people, so they transferred me from Yanjing. There's no heating here, and I have to rely on shivering to keep warm. I'm freezing, and I don't know when I can go back."

Wang Hao's family had some background, so he was hired by China Television right after graduating from university and became a regular employee. With the support of a big tree, his life had always been comfortable.

Lin Han saw the message from his friend, rubbed his eyes hard, and confirmed that he hadn't read it wrong. China Television shooting 'Journey to the West'—this was big news!

In this world, China Television held a position similar to CCTV, and its influence was even greater. 'Journey to the West' had always been a major IP, but it had never been filmed due to the opposition of Mr. Wu Cheng'en's descendants.

Now, they probably felt the technology was mature enough, so they decided to start shooting the TV series with China Television, aiming to create an absolutely classic TV series.

Recalling this, Lin Han couldn't help but feel sympathy for the young people in this world who had never seen the TV series 'Journey to the West.' Their childhoods were truly incomplete. He hoped that this world's 'Journey to the West' would still be replayed thousands of times.

"Let's have a drink when you get back to Yanjing. It's been a long time since we last met," Lin Han replied. He didn't have many friends in this life, so he didn't want to lose any of them.

Wang Hao's message followed, "Of course, you're a great writer. I'll get your autograph and keep it as a family treasure. When you win the Nobel Prize in Literature, it can be a family heirloom. The director is about to start shooting, so I have to go help. We'll chat next time! I need to make a good impression on the director, hoping to direct one of the episodes, whether it's the 'Demon Extermination in Wuji Kingdom' or the 'Art Transmission in Yuhua Prefecture.'"

"Alright, go ahead. I look forward to seeing the episode you shoot on TV."

After throwing his phone aside, Lin Han smiled bitterly. Winning the Nobel Prize with a science fiction work, or even getting a nomination, was harder than climbing to the sky.

But wasn't this kind of challenging task the very reason he had come to this world?

If it was just for fame or money, he could simply replicate the science fiction novels he had seen in his previous life, get some publicity, and become a best-selling author easily.

But a person must have some aspirations. Now, Lin Han had a grand and ambitious goal in front of him: to get a Nobel Prize nomination, and even win it!

Goals shouldn't be afraid of being far-reaching. As long as he took one step at a time, he would eventually reach them. After thinking this through, Lin Han felt a surge of energy.

...

In the "Science Fiction World" editorial office, the staff member responsible for sales statistics was busy processing data. With so much data from all over the country, it was hard for an ordinary person to understand what was displayed on the screen.

"Xiao Qian, Editor Tan wants you to come over. Bring the latest statistics with you."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Xiao Qian, holding the freshly compiled data, walked into the editor's office with a smile. He knocked on the door and said, "Boss, you wanted to see me?"

The middle-aged man, exuding a scholarly air, turned around and said with a smile, "Sit down first, then tell me about the sales situation for this issue."

"It's been less than a day, but so far, the sales have increased compared to the October issue. The sales volume has increased by 5% compared to the same period, and the current data shows 450,000 copies sold."

A monthly magazine like this usually sells 800,000 to 900,000 copies, with the first two days accounting for half of the sales. The sales decrease each day after that, which is a common pattern.

Of course, if there's a big-name science fiction author's article, the first-day sales will surge, and the long-term sales will also be strong, potentially breaking the one million mark.

The current issue of "Science Fiction World" has seen a slight increase in first-day sales compared to the previous issue, with 450,000 copies sold. There are still some places that haven't provided timely feedback, but a rough estimate would be 500,000 copies.

"The sales are still good. The distributors have called, and several cities are experiencing shortages. They're asking us to urgently replenish the stock."

Xiao Qian seemed to think of something and continued, "In fact, our big data analysis shows that the places that sold out first were all near schools. The stalls near schools usually have the most stock, but they were the first to sell out, which is a bit strange."

Just as he was speaking, another staff member knocked on the door urgently and panted, "Editor, we've received a lot of feedback. Many places are doubling their orders. It's said that the Xinhua Bookstores in Dongyang and Yanjing have sold out."

"Is it that popular?" Tan Lin frowned and said, "Notify all the staff. We'll have a short meeting to decide on the additional print run. For now, we need to stabilize the distributors."

"Science Fiction World" usually prints 800,000 copies, and additional print runs are rare, happening only two or three times a year. Now, the November issue, without the attraction of a big-name author, has stubbornly received more orders, which is nothing short of a small miracle.

"Xiao Qian, go back and prepare for the meeting. Remember to monitor our sales changes at all times."

Tan Lin, who had seen many ups and downs, didn't panic. The additional print run needed to be a suitable number, neither too much nor too little, and required specialized staff to set the sales expectations.

That day, "Science Fiction World" sold out in many bookstores and newsstands, and the main buyers were young students.

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