Chapter 63: Sanjiang Testimonial

Surprise!

Our lovely book has made it to the Sanjiang list!

This is my best-performing book so far. When I first started writing it, I just wanted to scrape by with a category feature and a cover, hoping to reach ten thousand collections before going premium. Who would have thought the response would be so positive? With the support of all you brothers and sisters, this book has actually made it to the Sanjiang list.

A massive thank you to all the brothers and sisters, and to all the readers of excellent taste who voted, tipped, collected, and added this book to your reading lists.

I also want to thank my two managing editors, Yexiao and Jing Hong, as well as our Fantasy editor-in-chief, Tai Mountain! Every great horse needs a talent scout to recognize its worth, and they are mine. Thank you all so much.

Being featured on such a massive recommendation spot for the first time is truly a pleasant surprise.

Why do I call it a surprise?

Because, to be honest, I never received a site message about the Sanjiang recommendation last Friday. I had no idea I was going to be featured there, and I actually thought my streak of recommendation features had ended. To tell the truth, I wasn’t really bothered at the time because my collections had already hit fourteen thousand, far exceeding my initial goal.

Several of my previous books had failed at the Six-Channel feature. I’ve felt disappointed and helpless before, but then I’d think to myself: my skill level was only so-so, and it was perfectly normal not to make the cut. After honing my craft, I’d get there eventually! I was used to it by now. If it didn’t happen, so be it; all that mattered was focusing on writing a good book.

I was third or fourth on the overall Six-Channel leaderboard—I didn’t look too closely—and first in the Fantasy category. All of this was given to me by you guys; you were the ones who pushed me up there. It didn’t have much to do with me. Personally, I have nothing to be proud of, but I am deeply proud to have you all as my readers. Thank you again!

Even though the results were good, I hadn’t received a notice about getting on Sanjiang, so I figured I wouldn’t have a chance until next week or the week after. Who knew they didn’t send out site messages for this? When I looked at the Sanjiang leaderboard today and saw my own book, I honestly froze.

I thought, "Wait... I made it just like that?"

It was a true mix of shock and joy! I immediately scrambled up to record this great historical moment.

Thank you all for being here.

Since I’ve earned the trust of the esteemed editors, I don’t want to let them down. I have to at least make this book’s performance decent. So... I am officially asking for your votes and collections!

You might be worried about me abandoning the novel, but I can state categorically that this book will not be dropped. It’s been a long time since I abandoned my last book. During that period, I actually started a secondary account and wrote a practice novel of over a million words. I finished it. Its performance was absolute garbage, with only one or two paying subscribers—literally just one or two. My monthly royalties maxed out at twenty or thirty yuan, and at its lowest, it was just two or three.

At the time, I kept telling myself, "Practice... persevere... practice... persevere..." I was fighting a battle with myself. Much of the time, writing really is a battle against yourself! Stripping away the readers, the income, and everything else to start from scratch... ultimately, I succeeded.

Over seven or eight tedious, monotonous months, I wrote over a million words. I had no readers, no recommendations, not even a trial feature, and zero income. But I stuck with it. I believe I am no longer that naive kid from back then. That book gave me my greatest takeaway: finishing a book isn’t actually that hard. Just write slowly, write what you want to write without rushing, and eventually, the story will reach its natural conclusion. My temperament and patience have definitely been tempered significantly.

In the past, whenever readers criticized me, I would feel terrible. When they cursed at me, I would lose my writing groove for days on end. I would resort to escapism... and the more I tried to escape, the more miserably the book would flop.

Later on, I gradually learned to let it go. It doesn’t matter. Some of the hate comments had absolutely nothing to do with the book—just mindless bashing. There was no need to argue; I’d simply delete them and mute the users. As for the non-abusive critical comments, I read them frequently. Yes, some words are harsh, but I can sense when a reader is telling the truth. Is it fair for me to make mistakes in my writing but not allow others to point them out? If they’re right, I just quietly make the corrections!

I might not be able to brush things off as breezily as top-tier authors, nor is my writing as mature as theirs. However... I am improving. I’m on the path of progress, constantly finding ways to better myself. Thank you all for accompanying me on this journey and for your continuous tolerance.

The truth is, I prepared a lot for this book.

The leveling system, the cheat abilities, character personalities, the world map, and the overarching plotline... so many elements were meticulously planned. I didn’t just start writing on a sudden whim.

Please trust me, and let’s walk this path together.

Finally, let me say this sincerely: Having my work appreciated by elegant readers with great taste is a joyous occasion, and it is my absolute honor.

Asking for votes! Asking for collections!

Recorded on February 16, 2020!