The Pen God: My Mentor in the Film and Television Industry

Chapter 11 leaves a sliver of hope, drawing thousands to follow.

The first thing I do when I open my eyes is reach for my phone.

I can't wait to see the reaction to last night's update.

The screen lights up.

I opened the backend.

The data is jumping right in front of me.

It's significantly better than the previous chapters.

Collection, reading, and interaction rates.

Everything is going up.

My heart skipped a beat.

I clicked into the comments section.

Scroll down one by one.

There was no mockery.

There was no unwarranted criticism.

There were no comments from people abandoning the book.

Instead, there were long-absent positive reviews.

"The characters are finally not stiff anymore."

"It looks smoother now, and it feels much more comfortable."

"It's getting to the point, keep it up!"

Just a few words.

But it moved me more than any other reward.

I've been writing for so many years.

I've been trying to catch them for so many years.

For the first time, I experienced the feeling of "writing correctly".

I know the answer better than anyone else.

This isn't something that suddenly dawned on me.

It wasn't just luck.

It's that line from the Arctic sweet shrimp: "Character's life story."

They pulled me out of the mire.

If it weren't for that sentence.

Right now, I'm probably still forcing myself to write a story and indulging in self-pity.

They might still be looking at the dismal data, suffering from insomnia all night.

Thinking about this...

My heart felt both warm and bittersweet.

But the joy didn't last long.

New problems soon emerged.

I spent a long time reading the comments.

Many people praised it for being beautiful.

Many people say it's fluent.

But few people say—I can't wait for the next chapter.

Few people urge me to update.

Few people say that I was hooked.

Everyone thought it was good.

But after reading it, I closed the page.

I won't think about it.

I have no expectations.

I won't stay up all night waiting for updates.

I stared at the screen, my brows furrowing slightly.

What I want is more than just "okay".

What I want is for readers to want to read the next chapter immediately after finishing the current one.

It's something I think about before bed and chase after when I wake up.

The moment the update was released, the comment section exploded.

I don't have that ability.

I pondered it for a long time.

The more I think about it, the more confused I become.

What exactly is the difference?

Why is it that other people's stories are so addictive, even though they're both about writing stories?

I sat in front of the computer.

I was in a daze for a while.

A thought slowly surfaced.

Let's ask the senior for advice again.

She must know the answer.

Last time I hesitated, was uneasy, and was afraid of bothering them.

This time, I felt more confident.

Because I am truly making progress.

They really put their heart into it.

I took a deep breath.

Open the chat window.

Every word was typed with seriousness and sincerity.

[Charcoal-roasted Tomato]: Senior, I wrote it according to your instructions, the characters are more natural, and the comments are much better than before.

But I've noticed that after watching, people don't eagerly await updates, which makes it feel a bit unsettling.

Could you please give me some more pointers on where I am lacking?

The message has been sent.

I gently put my phone down.

I felt both anticipation and unease.

I don't know if the senior will reply.

I'm also wondering if asking questions too often will make me seem clumsy.

I waited quietly.

Time passed second by second.

Just when I thought I would have to wait a long time.

The dialog box popped up slightly.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: You've released all the pent-up energy from each chapter.

If everything is said outright and the matter is explained completely, the reader will naturally have no further questions.

I stared at the words for a few seconds, stunned.

I think I understood.

It seems like the core issue wasn't fully grasped.

[Charcoal-grilled tomatoes]: Senior, I still don't quite understand.

The other party replied almost instantly.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: At the end of each chapter, a small question is left.

No need for big suspense or melodramatic plot twists.

Leave a small hook, hint at it but don't give the answer.

He left himself a breath, leading people to continue the chase.

Just a few words.

There was no lengthy explanation.

There is no complicated theory.

But it was like a ray of light.

It shone directly into the most obscure blind spot in my heart.

I suddenly came to my senses.

I finally understand where I went wrong.

I have always strived to "tell the story completely".

But what we don't know is that good stories never finish telling their story.

Each chapter should have a little ending.

Every segment should hold a little expectation.

It makes the reader's heart itch with anticipation.

I feel uncomfortable if I don't continue watching.

The moment I understood.

I feel so relaxed.

[Grilled Tomato]: Thank you, senior! I really understand now!

The message was sent.

The dialog box went silent again.

Arctic sweet shrimp didn't say another word.

But that's enough.

I have obtained the most crucial key.

I immediately opened the newly published chapter.

I watched it carefully from beginning to end.

The original ending.

The explanation was clear and straightforward, presented in a balanced and unambiguous manner.

dull.

Safety.

It's also boring.

I didn't make any major changes to the plot.

Only the last few lines were changed.

The conclusion that was originally explained can be gently concluded.

It slightly lifts the emotions that were originally settled.

This leaves a question that is neither too big nor too small.

It's not scary.

Not melodramatic.

It doesn't seem out of place.

He was barely clinging to life.

After making the changes.

I'm reposting it.

I leaned back in my chair and waited patiently.

It only took about ten minutes.

The comments section suddenly started scrolling.

"??? What's with the ending?!"

"Wow, are you trying to whet my appetite?!"

"I was just about to say 'stable,' but the last sentence hit the nail on the head!"

"Updates are coming! Don't stop here!"

"Oh no, I can't sleep now, I want to read the next chapter!"

The same content.

Only change the ending.

The results were worlds apart.

I watched as the comments popped up one after another.

My heart felt warm and bright.

It was filled with a long-lost power.

It turns out that writing really isn't about forcing yourself to keep going.

It's not about working hard and persevering.

There's a method to it.

It makes sense.

There are techniques involved.

Someone gently touched it.

That would save me from taking many detours.

I looked at the screen and let out a soft breath.

The previous confusion, anxiety, and self-doubt.

It gradually faded away.

Instead.

It is a clear, down-to-earth, and upward spirit.

I'm finally on the right track.

And this journey has only just begun.

There is still much more to learn.

More levels to conquer.

But I am no longer afraid.

Because I know.

In the darkness, someone was silently supporting me as I moved forward.

[End of Chapter]