A New Year's Letter to Fellow Book Lovers

When you see a notification pop up on your phone about a chapter update, especially with such a painfully awkward title, your first thought is probably, “What nonsense is this author writing now?”

Posting something like this at the beginning of the month, judging by the typical trends among authors on Qidian, it usually boils down to the usual pleas for votes or cute antics. Of course, given my track record, you might instead guess, “This author is about to go on hiatus, revise, or pull some big stunt,” which would make the whole thing even more cringeworthy.

Good. We’ve already wasted 150 words, so let’s get back on track.

Anyone who follows Qidian’s events closely should know about the recent Dragon Ball event. One way to earn Dragon Balls is by interacting with the author’s New Year’s Easter egg chapter. You’ve probably guessed it by now: what I’m writing here is exactly that so-called “New Year’s Easter egg chapter.”

I received the notice about a week ago, asking me to write a themed essay from angles like stories behind my 2023 creations, the most memorable demands for updates, fun moments interacting with readers, and New Year’s blessings.

I had planned to pull this piece out during a lazy afternoon while waiting for inspiration, but short videos and mini-games are a dangerous distraction. Before I knew it, I’d procrastinated until today. If it weren’t for seeing other authors posting theirs on Qidian, I might have forgotten this altogether.

Anyway, here I am now, sitting on the toilet with my laptop, typing out this rambling nonsense.

First, about my writing journey...

I’ve always thought this kind of thing should wait until I’m successful, creatively spent, and old as the hills. Then I’d lie on a pile of cash, reminiscing about the past, with the mindset of cashing out one last time before disappearing, releasing a book titled something like *The Great Literary Master’s Satirical Advice to Novice Writers* or *From Flop to Platinum: Lessons in Crafting Hit Web Novels (Limited Edition).*

But considering my update speed, it’s unlikely I’ll ever be truly successful or run out of ideas. And given my health, I probably won’t live to be that old. So, I might as well share what I had planned for that moment now, for us to encourage each other.

Alright, scratch those two paragraphs above—here’s the serious part.

I’m a flop with dual identities: a newbie and a seasoned failure. I say newbie because this is my first genuine web novel; I say seasoned failure because I’ve rewritten this book three times. The first two runs, totaling 200,000 words, were banned. This third iteration, which you’re reading now, has finally survived. This duality makes my writing a strange mix—some parts are so good that many readers have guessed who I might be under a pen name, while others are so bad they’re painful to witness. I can feel it myself—the broken pacing, the inability to lift the mood—typical rookie problems.

I’m truly grateful to everyone who has tolerated these flaws, holding their noses to keep reading. All I can do is keep learning and striving for excellence, trying to polish this mess into something a little less messy before serving it up to you again.

Now, about the demands for updates...

Well, heh, that’s a tricky one. Being my reader is definitely a painful experience. With my update pace of every two or three days, a side story drags on endlessly, with over twenty chapters stretching out for two months. It’s common to forget what happened earlier by the time you reach the latest chapters.

I’ve read slow-updating books myself and know the frustration well—but I never thought I’d become the very monster I once railed against as a member of the impatient mob. At times like this, all I can do is dramatically sigh, “Fate is truly unpredictable.”

But, while writing this chapter, I checked the update stats of *Peerless Double Harmony* and was pleasantly surprised to see my updates are actually a bit faster than those of the “Third-Rate.” A moment for celebration, applause, and confetti.

Finally, some amusing moments interacting with readers...

You’ve probably noticed I’m often active in the comments section, answering questions and replying to every review. After reading this, you might recall some funny snippets, so I won’t go on.

I sincerely thank you all for your continued support, donations, monthly votes, and comments. You’re pulling me further and further from the path of solitary writing. Many nicknames have become familiar to me. Listing them one by one here would blow this chapter’s word count into the tens of thousands, while omitting some would be unfair. So, I’ll treat everyone equally and not name anyone.

By now, you’ve probably imagined me sitting on the toilet, legs crossed, tapping my foot and flipping off the world. Sorry to disappoint, but by the time I wrote this part, I had already gotten up and left the bathroom with my laptop. Heh heh heh...

In short, in this new year, I wish you all good health, happiness, success in your careers, and academic achievements!

Here’s a big promise: in 2024, this book will *strive* to speed up updates and *strive* to finish before the end of the year (note those keywords).

Having written so much, it would seem reasonable to say, “Out collecting material today, no update,” right?

But since it’s the first day of the month, openly admitting defeat right away would hardly help me earn your monthly votes.

So, I regretfully take back that sentence, head out to collect material (or rather, take a break), and then return to scratching my head in front of a blank document, pondering hard...