Chapter 80

Before I knew it, it was time to go live, a moment every author finds most nerve-wracking, much like a wife giving birth. Oh, I do have a wife, so that’s fine....

Perhaps because "The Great Offering" performed so well, I felt a lot of pressure writing this book, especially since I hadn’t tackled this genre before. Everyone knows that writing is all about experience, and stepping out of your comfort zone means that even the seasoned experts’ advice won’t work, so the risk of failure is high.

Initially, Yuedu hoped I would write a fantasy novel, but I declined. It wasn’t that I was determined to step out of my comfort zone just to cause trouble; rather, I had already poured all my inspiration, accumulation, and creative passion into "The Great Offering."

Lack of creative passion is very painful; it’s impossible to produce high-quality content. If I were to write a fantasy novel, I would need a few years to gather my thoughts.

Of course, I could write another "The Great Offering," and even improve many details, but that would inevitably lack the spark. It’s better to switch genres and adjust.

I think this is why many authors keep stepping out of their comfort zones. There’s no particular reason, just that they’ve grown tired of a certain genre.

Life is long, and I have many more books to write. I can’t just stick to fantasy; I need to explore other genres and regulate myself.

There will inevitably be ups and downs during this period, which is normal.

When "The Spirit Realm" first started, many people were skeptical, both readers and peers, but its readership was actually quite good, almost breaking records.

However, there’s no reason to be too proud. Going live is just the beginning; the journey is long. The Long March has only just begun, and I can’t get complacent. Complacency is fatal. That’s why I haven’t mentioned the new book’s performance.

In the past, I would have been pleased with the success of my novels, but after finishing "The Great Offering," I only feel a sense of reverence for writing. Only by standing at a certain height do you realize your limits and the difficulty of writing.

Another thing, I don’t have any stock chapters left, and I haven’t had any for a long time.

Many readers don’t believe me, saying that as a chubby guy who took a half-year break, how could I not have stock chapters.

But during that half-year, I was resting and working on the outline and world-building, not writing.

I only started writing the beginning in January, but it was rejected by Yuedu, and I spent a whole month revising it. How could I have any stock chapters?

By the time the book was released, I only had 20,000 to 30,000 words in stock, and I had to write and revise simultaneously because I was out of practice. There was no time to write subsequent plots.

Today, I’m going live, and I’ve only written half a chapter. Sigh, I won’t be sleeping tonight. I’ll write as much as I can and release it, fighting until dawn.

There’s one more thing. I want to thank Chief Editor An Yi and Editor Beihe for helping me review the manuscript and providing valuable feedback.

On the author side, I want to thank Wuzhe, Zhouzi, Laogui, Rongxiaorong... for helping me review the beginning and offering suggestions. Especially the first two, I would ping them whenever I had a problem, day or night.

After Wuzhe’s hairline receded, his schedule became so regular that he didn’t seem like an author at all, very health-conscious. He often replied to me the next day, while Zhouzi was always available, even at 3 or 4 AM. Damn, he’s so competitive.

I’m very grateful to these friends. For an author who lacks social interaction and is sealed in front of a computer all day, chatting and hanging out with them is the only entertainment. Watching Laoying lose money in the stock market, Xiaolong’s sharp comments, Xiangjiao’s writing advice, and Feitianyu, Jingwuhen, Yashenzhi, Cunlao, and others. During the six months I was sealed at home, they were my entertainment (dog head), and life was incredibly dull and boring.

Therefore, I cherish the friends in the author community.

After the book was released, reading chapter comments and chatting in the reader group became my biggest entertainment. "The Spirit Realm" has gained many new readers and some old readers from "The Great Offering." Thank you for your company.

I originally wanted to discuss the book’s settings, such as the origins of the evil professions, but time is limited, and I need to go write the live chapters. No stock chapters means a lot of anxiety.

I ask for everyone’s support for the first subscription.

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