HN @ccloussus - Tumblr Blog

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

I think I had this link up before and removed it out of frustration. This is the original novel I’m working on (and the source of all those daily scribbles I guess). It’s a long fantasy story revolving around five characters in a non-sovereign land. It’s one of those stories with more detailed world building and side storylines, but I try to keep its focus on characters’ thoughts and emotions.

It’s a personal project, and it’s written in s language (Chinese) that most people on this platform don’t speak - I have trouble promoting it, and honestly this project brought me more pain than joy. Yet I still want to finish it… This urge really bothers me. It would be much appreciated if you’d like to give it a try.

I write whenever I’m free so there’s no fixed update schedule. Will add new chapters to that AO3 post once they’re done.

#original work #fantasy #own creation #novel

Shitty things happened and I’m (emotionally) on a mental retreat

Didn’t have energy to finish the third one

#scribbles #original work #fantasy

Received two more feedbacks from HK publishers.

Publisher 1: nah there’s no local market for fantasy and your book is way too lengthy (“the scale is too big”) for us to sell. It’s impossible to get this published.

Publisher 2: oh a fantasy novel, you should totally write it in English and publish it overseas (and cater to the western audience). BTW there’s no local market lol

I’m seriously offended by the second publisher. Yea surely I know some English, but would you tell an English-speaking writer to write in a different language? That’s totally inappropriate and they don’t even see the problem.

I don’t agree with them in many ways and yea I’m pretty sure nobody cares about novel now. Everything is business, all that matters is whether your work gets them quick cash.

From time to time it’s frustrating to be reminded of how unfair the world works. But I’m not quitting yet. Will keep trying.

#random talks #original novel #publication

How to demonstrate my patience in one pic

#scribbles #original work #wip

#scribbles #original work

- posted about the novel on social media

- ppl won’t read the post without a pic

- had to place a doodle per post

Sign

#scribbles #original work

Doodle

#scribbles #original work

So I’ve been trying to publish (the first 20ish chapters of) my fantasy novel written in Chinese for almost one year now. Went through loads of nonproductive talks with the publishers and finally accepted that: 1 Chinese editors are not familiar with the concept of western fantasy at all and so they’re super doubtful about the genre’s market value; 2 because it’s like a new thing to most of them, and honestly rarely any Chinese author’s writing this type of fantasy, editors are reluctant to handle it.

Btw the most absurd situation I encountered was with a HK publisher - they would showcase an AI generated book proudly on their website and then told me “your book’s not gonna sell well so we’re not interested in publishing it”.

I did eventually find somewhere to start the publication process, but at this point I’m worn out. I feel so negative about the book’s future, and it generally feels like all the effort is not gonna pay off. My AuDHD brain can’t handle this disappointment.

#vent #publication #original novel #it’s more about publishing a fantasy novel in China #a weirdly specific scenario