Chapter 44: HE

Yinlan Book Bank naturally does not have a player like He Mingxuan who specially nests in the bookstore to mark people. After the works published by Supernova have been widely distributed in various bookstores in Qinzhou, the only thing that can slightly reflect some market results is reader feedback.

Initially, feedback was only sporadic.

After all, it takes time to read.

For publishers, sporadic comments aren't of much reference value, but as the first batch of readers finishes the novel, feedback on the five works of Supernova gradually increases on the official website of Yinlan Book Bank.

Publishers worry...

The company's first supernova, "The Devil of the Other World," seems to have a poor reputation. For a novel that could score a perfect 10, most readers have rated it less than five points. It seems that everyone is uninterested in the novel's approach.

"The routine of changing the soup without changing the medicine."

"The protagonist is so special that he has crossed over to become a demon king, and it feels like a waste of space. Since the narrative is from the devil's perspective, can't the protagonist be written as something other than a waste? Is it not a waste wood book?"

"I regret buying this book."

"I stopped halfway, no interest."

In Qinzhou, novels are published in separate volumes, so the sales of the first volume are very important. Novels that do not sell well are prone to being discontinued. The publisher will notify the author to conclude the story as soon as possible. Eventually, it will likely be compressed to three or five volumes by the author. After all, publishing companies need to free up resources for more promising works.

Many readers are criticizing the book.

Of course, not all feedback is negative. Some readers find the perspective of "Alien Demon" quite novel: "Although it's old wine in a new bottle, at least the protagonist's identity differs from the traditional alien adventure model. It might not be cut in half."

Could it explode later?

This scenario isn't unprecedented.

Currently, there's a very popular novel on the market. When it was first released, its word-of-mouth was average, and the sales were not impressive. The publisher had informed the author it would be discontinued. Unexpectedly, after two volumes, the story peaked, and sales exploded, canceling the discontinuation plan. The book is still being serialized and has reached volume 22.

But such examples are rare.

Because if the first volume of the novel cannot engage readers from the start, it's difficult for them to stick around for a later burst. Only when readers are hooked from the beginning can the novel continue to be serialized steadily.

It's not just about initial reputation.

The second to fourth works of Supernova have very average reputations, and the second-best score reaches five points. However, five points are barely passing in the novel market and are not considered very good.

"This year is tough."

At the departmental meeting of Yinlan Library a week later, some editors reviewed the comments on several novels and sighed, "I thought the sales of 'Alien Demon' could explode, but as readers have encountered more adventure novels, their expectations have risen."

"That's right."

"It's not that this year's supernova is worse than before, but that readers' tastes are improving. No wonder the editors have always been eager to support new themes. Readers are tired of old themes, and novels must offer new thrills."

In early TV series, there were always clichéd plots like car accidents, cancer, and abortions. The audience used to watch them with relish, but now, the reappearance of such plots would lead to direct criticism of the director.

The same applies to the realm of fiction.

A few years ago, any gimmick could popularize foreign adventure novels. For example, a novel titled "Bringing a Mobile Phone to Another World" featured a protagonist with a magical mobile phone usable in another world, impressing readers with face-slapping feats. From today's perspective, the story might seem terrible, but readers liked it at the time.

"The entire army wasn't wiped out either."

Yang Feng tried to comfort everyone: "Although 'Net King,' the last of the supernova novels, its reputation is still very good. Currently, it scores as high as 8.5 points. This is remarkable."

Yang Feng is right.

Although the first four Supernova books haven't received satisfying feedback, "Net King" currently has a high score, and the comments are mostly positive.

"This is the best book!"

"I never expected a competitive novel about tennis to be written so wonderfully. I picked it up casually in a bookstore and couldn't put it down, immediately becoming a fan of 'Net King.'"

"A breath of fresh air in the supernova series!"

"I'm tired of alien adventures, and changing flavors is surprisingly good. I've recommended 'Net King' to many friends, but many were uninterested. Like me initially, they didn't understand the appeal of competitive novels."

The editors are aware that "Net King" has received rave reviews, but for Yinlan Book Library, the reputation of this novel is merely a consolation prize because its subject matter is too niche, making explosive sales almost impossible.

"It's futile."

"The subject matter is too niche."

"Should we be encouraged?"

The editors aren't too excited. Every publishing house has some novels that aren't mainstream. For such novels, the major publishing houses generally adopt a supportive attitude. Even if sales aren't great, they try their best to provide publishing resources, similar to how film companies need some art films to enhance their image, but the real profit comes from selling mainstream novels.

"Don't be disheartened."

The editor-in-chief is very dissatisfied with the editors' demeanor: "With attitudes like yours, the sales haven't even come out yet, and remember, reputation isn't everything. Although some novels are not highly rated, their sales can still be very good."

"That's true."

"There's still a chance!"

"It's just about reputation."

Hope sparks in the editors' eyes. Reputation doesn't dictate everything. Some books in the market aren't popular, and some have poor reviews but still maintain high sales. Many readers these days are discerning and honest. "Net King" is seen as the former by everyone. The other supernova books might not follow the latter's path!

These people are so naive.

The deputy editor quietly scoffs.

Few works that are unpopular yet have poor reviews enjoy high sales. In the general dynamics of the book market, reputation and sales usually correlate directly...

"The meeting is over."

The editor-in-chief declares.

After the crowd disperses, the editor-in-chief suddenly appears worried, a stark contrast to the previously optimistic editors: "It seems this year's supernova has really messed up, unless there's a miracle."

"Miracle?"

The deputy editor, who hadn't left, also scoffs bitterly: "Let's head to the statistics department together. The first week's sales of the supernovas should have been tallied by now. Let's see where this miracle is."

Chief Editor: ""

The two make their way to the department side by side. Upon arrival, the editor-in-chief and the deputy editor-in-chief simultaneously turn to the female director of the statistics department: "The first week's sales of the supernovas have been counted by now, right?"

"Are you here?"

The female director's expression is cold, seemingly displeased with the two: "The statistics are out. Would you like to see them now?"

"Of course."

The editor-in-chief nods.

The female director doesn't say anything else, merely taking out a stack of papers from the drawer and handing them over.

The editor-in-chief starts reading, and as he goes through the pages, his expression becomes increasingly strange. Initially expecting a frown or disappointment, he finds himself utterly puzzled by the end.

"This..."

"How is this possible?"