The next day.
Wang Jian woke up from his sleep, his face turning red as he recalled the dream he had had last night.
It seemed like some of his functions had been "unsealed."
Should he go to El for some Playboy magazines?
He thought about it, then quickly shook his head.
No, he had a lot to do today.
He bent over as he walked into the bathroom, and after washing up, he boarded the bus to Manhattan.
By just before 9 o'clock, he was standing at the door of Roy's office.
During this time, he saw many so-called novelists coming and going.
Some even brought tea and water to the cubicle-bound editors with little authority, eagerly trying to please.
Is this the current state of the publishing industry?
Without the editors' esteem, it was impossible to get one's writing in front of the public.
As Wang Jian was lost in thought, Roy had already arrived at work carrying his briefcase.
Smiling, he invited Wang Jian into his office and poured him a glass of water, then said, "I thought the first half and the outline of the manuscript were fanciful enough, but after reading the whole book yesterday, I must say, your imagination exceeds my expectations."
Wang Jian was nervous, "Can it still be published?"
"Of course," Roy responded affirmatively, "I have already made some wording changes."
He handed over the manuscript and said, "Take a look."
Wang Jian couldn't even bother to take it.
A $400 deal, why fuss at all?
Better to publish fast and rake in the cash.
Seeing Wang Jian's lack of interest in making changes, Roy, with a smile, said, "Shall I send it to the printing department to print the draft then?"
Wang Jian nodded, indicating he had no objections.
As a tall Latino secretary took the manuscript, Roy turned on his computer and asked Wang Jian, "Any suggestions for the cover?"
It had to be eye-catching; beautiful girls playing ball on the cover would be perfect.
The male protagonist must look incredibly handsome, just like those popular young actors in Hollywood: the likes of Tom, Depp, and Pitt. Latch on to whoever is the popular sensation!
Throw in a couple of belly bands too, find some well-known and unknown authors for a bit of shameless promotion.
It's not about fear of being exposed; it's about not being hot!
After Wang Jian tactfully expressed his opinion, Roy was very excited to reject his suggestions.
"Such a cover would be rated PG-13, which would inherently reduce the number of readers. And belly bands are only for hardcovers; yours is a paperback."
What?
There's a rating system for books?
Wang Jian scratched his head, acknowledging his ignorance.
"So what did you choose for the cover?" he asked.
"How about this?" Roy maximized an image on his computer and showed it to Wang Jian.
The image displayed a completely black background with a boy in the center who had white hair and a pair of wings on his back.
The boy's hair stood on end, his left hand holding a strand of flame, and his right hand wielding an all-white knight's long sword.
Wang Jian thought it looked somewhat like a Super Saiyan.
But considering that changing the cover would require hiring an artist to create a new one,
Wang Jian expressed his complete satisfaction.
After all, riding the popularity wave of Dragon Ball was an excellent opportunity.
Now, as Dragon Ball was gaining popularity in the United States with its economic expansion, it was beginning to catch fire.
After finalizing these details, Roy pulled out a complete standard contract and handed it to Wang Jian, saying, "Do you want to have a lawyer take a look?"
A lawyer for what?
$400 wouldn't even cover the legal fees.
Would he end up losing money just from writing the book?
While thinking this over, Wang Jian glanced at the contract.
No guaranteed royalties.
The initial royalty rate for the first edition was 4%, with a print run of 10,000 copies at 10 US Dollars each.
The rights authorized included both print and electronic media, with an authorization period of five years.
Film and television rights could be licensed to the publisher or not.
Wang Jian chose not to license them.
Under the same conditions, Scholastic Publishers had the right of first publication for any sequels.
And when other publishers offered more favorable publishing terms, Scholastic Publishers could decide whether to match them.
After reading this, Wang Jian signed his name.
Apart from royalties, distribution numbers, and pricing, this contract was essentially a standard contract used by major publishers.
If you didn't agree, you could opt not to publish at all.
Not even self-publishing was permitted.
After Wang Jian had signed.
Roy stood up, shook his hand, and said, "Pleasure doing business with you."
"You might want to wait about an hour, then you can see the first copy of 'I'm a Great Mage.'"
"So soon?" Wang Jian exclaimed.
"Of course," Roy answered with a smile, "Our publishing house publishes about 100 novels each week, averaging 20 a day."
"Every hour, new novels are sent to the printer, printed, and then distributed to various bookstores to be displayed on the new releases shelf."
"This is, for most novels, the only method of promotion available."
He looked at Wang Jian with a profound gaze, indicating that 'I'm a Great Mage' was subject to this same fate.
"Only one day of being featured as a new release?" Wang Jian asked.
"Just one day," Roy affirmed, "Though the exact timing varies by bookstore, each novel generally gets only one day featured as a new release no matter where."
What's even the point then?
Wang Jian thought about it, his own sales estimate was 3,300 copies across the United States.
With so many bookstores and so many people, they should sell, right?
It's a novel, not some academic journal.
Maybe,
hopefully?
An hour later.
Wang Jian caressed the black novel still warm from printing, feeling a whirlwind of emotions.
Especially when he saw his name written in English letters in the author section.
Roy, smiling, said to him, "This copy is a gift for the author, you can take it home."
"In a day's time, we will have a sales report for the 'I'm a Great Mage' new release period. We will inform you immediately."
Holding the novel, Wang Jian stood up and told Roy, "I'm looking forward to the good news."
Roy, still smiling, said, "Here's to a bestseller."
"Here's to a bestseller," Wang Jian replied.
And with that, Wang Jian, holding the novel and feeling somewhat dizzy, left Scholastic Publishers and boarded the bus back to the Bronx.
I've published a book?
He thought he only cared about money, but holding the physical book, he still felt a thrill.
He fantasized about 'I'm a Great Mage' becoming a dark horse, breaking out, and making it onto the New York Times bestseller list.
Then, becoming famous from one book, making big money, moving out of the Bronx, and becoming a well-known bestselling author.
Following that, having millions of followers, giving various speeches.
No longer having to consider waiting tables in Chinatown.
As Wang Jian was lost in endless daydreams, the bus had already stopped in front of the Bronx bus station.
Wang Jian hurried back to his apartment and placed the novel on the living room table.
Then, he checked the time.
It was 1 PM.
Wang Jian looked pained as he stared into the distance.
This afternoon, how should he face Lily, the check-in officer 13 years his senior?