Chapter 2029: Writing Novels Is A Dead End
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The city’s western book square was a paradise for people who loved books. As long as one looked hard enough, one could find the books they wanted.
Mag and his family found a bookshop with many picture albums but no customers, and went in.
The two children looked for the picture albums that they liked in the midst of the books, while Mag chatted with the bookshop’s manager.
Mag swept a quick glance in the shop, and said, “Boss, why are you not selling Perfect Food magazine? The other shops are doing a brisk business selling it.”
That bookshop looked at the customers who were crowding at the other shops’ respective entrances to buy the magazine, and pursed his lips disdainfully as he said, “Ha. What’s the point of selling a gourmet magazine? You can’t earn much selling that. If I can get the exclusive selling rights of a few bestsellers, that will really earn me money.”
“Oh, there are bestsellers here?” Mag was a little surprised. Although he had collected many ancient books, he didn’t know the books’ market in this world very well.
The boss pointed to the next-door bookshop that was still closed, and said, “Oh yes. Can you see that bookshop next door? They only sell three books. They released one issue every 10 days, and they can sell 300,000 copies every month. With those sales alone, that boss married his eighth wife last month.”
With a shocked expression, Mag asked, “You can marry eight wives here?”
“Your focus is rather unusual.” The boss gave Mag a weird look.
Irina’s gaze swept over, and she looked at Mag with a mysterious smile. “Why? Are you planning to marry eight wives too?”
Mag went white. He realized that he had said the wrong thing, and quickly corrected himself, “No, no, no. How would I ever have such lustful and extravagant thoughts?”
The boss looked at Irina, and enviously said, “Your wife is much more beautiful than his eight wives combined.”
“Of course.” Mag stood up even straighter.
Irina curled her lips slightly and retracted her gaze. She flipped through a picture album randomly.
“Oh, yes. What kind of books are the most popular in this book square?” Mag asked the boss.
“The bestselling books have to be the knights’ storybooks. Alex’s story books were breaking all the sales records back then. Men, women, adults, and children were all crazy over Alex’s storybooks. Every edition was a bestseller. No one could break his record now. Those colored storybooks and picture albums with Alex as its protagonist are even more highly sought-after.” The boss looked wistful, with a hint of nostalgia.
“Hmm? There is something like that?” Mag raised his eyebrows. He felt that something was amiss?
“Don’t tell you don’t know who Alex is?” The boss gave him a disdainful look before continuing, “Irina and Alex had made a great name for themselves on the Norland Continent back then. They left behind countless stories and legends, which are important source materials for countless authors. They supported a big group of authors.”
“Yes. I just moved to the city from the countryside.” Mag nodded, and then looked around quickly. “But you don’t have any picture albums that are related to him now?”
The boss finally got it. He now understood why he was a country bumpkin. He explained, “Alex reappeared recently, and he put on a shocking show of ‘The Return of the King’. He saved the world alone, and created new waves in the hearts of the Roth Empire’s people. He is very popular now.
“However, he deserted the Roth Empire, and was disrespectful to the king in his words. No authors would dare to write about him, let alone we, bookshop owners. Who isn’t fearful for their own lives?”
“I see.” Mag was thoughtful. He wondered if he could attract more fans since his popularity was so high now.
The boss picked up a storybook from the shelf at the door, and smilingly said, “The knights’ storybooks are still the main attraction in our shop. The children love to read stories about knights defeating the villains, the maidens love to read the stories about knights defeating villains and saving beauties, the men love to read the stories after the knights defeated the villains and saved the beauties…”
Mag looked at the storybook that the boss passed to him: Dragon-riding warrior battles Medusa in a demonic cave!
This…
Mag frowned slightly before putting that magazine down calmly. “Sounds like a heated battle.”
“Hehehe.” The boss made a series of obscene laughter that all men knew very well.
Mag pretended not to understand, and said, “Boss, are your authors popular? Do they have a lot of fans?”
“About this. It depends on the individual,” the boss said. “Usually, the ugly authors wouldn’t show their faces. They would try their best to create a sense of mystery, and give the readers space for imagination.
“Meanwhile, most of the authors who are handsome like you would get great illustrators to paint their portraits on the books to attract fans who like them besides their talents.
“Of course, there are also some shameless authors who would dress in drag to keep their fans. Naturally, such methods are not permanent. The fans are all fickle now.”
“There are actually so many secrets within the trade.” Mag was amazed. He didn’t expect that there were so many trade secrets.
“Oh, yes. Didn’t you see that Perfect Food magazine’s cover earlier? It’s really shameless. It’s a gourmet magazine, but it failed to promote food, and instead used a chef’s portrait as the selling point. Does one make more delicious food simply because he’s more good-looking? Moreover, perhaps that chef looks like a ghost,” the boss said disdainfully.
Mag frowned a little. He felt that the man was scolding two people.
The owner sized up Mag, and asked, “Why are you asking so many questions? Don’t tell me that you want to write novels too?”
“I… am just asking casually.”
“It’s good that you are not serious about it. Writing novels and drawing comics is a dead end. Not everyone can do it. I make 10-odd illustrators and authors cry daily,” the boss said with a laugh.
As soon as he spoke, it showed that he was an old capitalist.
Mag flipped through the picture albums on the shelves casually as he chitchatted with the boss. He was thinking about the probability of transforming the teaching tutorials into picture albums.
Compared to the immature spread of video technology and the dry literature, the picture albums with words and pictures had a relatively mature operating system and a group of readers. Wasn’t it quite a suitable means of transmission?
The two little ones chose a bunch of picture books. Annie rarely chose more picture albums than Amy. She took dozens of them. It was obvious that the little one liked picture books a lot.
After paying and leaving the bookshop, they spent half a day in the book square, and Mag bought many ancient books and popular storybooks. He even sneakily bought a storybook about Alex from a boss in a small corner bookshop.
Amy halted her footsteps, and turned to say to Mag, “Father, I’m hungry. What are we eating today?”