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

The message has been sent.

I stared at the screen.

My heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

I didn't think much about it when I was typing this.

You can wait until the message is successfully sent.

Suddenly, I felt very uncomfortable.

Arctic sweet shrimp, why are you suddenly asking me that question?

What exactly did she realize?

I stared at the dialog box.

My palms were gradually becoming sweaty.

In just a few seconds.

It felt like an eternity.

The air seemed to freeze.

The room was eerily quiet.

at last.

At the top of the dialog box, "Typing..." will pop up again.

My heart jumped into my throat.

A line of text slowly appeared.

[Arctic sweet shrimp]: It's nothing, just asking.

I stood there, stunned.

That's it?

I imagined countless possibilities in my mind.

I thought she would point out something.

I thought she would say something even more shocking.

In the end, it was just a casual, indifferent question.

But the more it is like this...

The more uneasy I feel.

My intuition was frantically reminding me.

The senior was definitely not asking casually.

There must be another meaning behind this.

My fingertips trembled slightly.

I couldn't help but add a comment.

[Charcoal-grilled Tomato]: Senior, did you... notice something?

This time.

There was a long silence on the other end.

So long that I thought she would never reply again.

My heart sank little by little.

Just when I was about to give up waiting.

A new message popped up.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: Your writing habits are very much like someone who has never received systematic training. You are diligent enough, but your approach is fundamentally flawed.

I saw these two lines of text.

My cheeks suddenly felt hot.

Those words hit home.

It hurts so much.

But I couldn't refute it.

Because that's the truth.

Three years.

I've always been an unorthodox learner.

No one taught me, no one guided me, and no one enlightened me.

[Charcoal-grilled tomatoes]: Yes, I used to figure things out on my own, no one taught me. I would see what was popular and I would follow suit, but the more I learned, the more confused I became.

I answered truthfully.

There was a hint of grievance in her tone that she herself didn't even realize.

The Arctic shrimp did not respond immediately.

Silence fell in the room once again.

Only an old fan slowly rotates overhead.

It emits a faint buzzing sound.

I dare not urge them.

I dare not utter a single extra word.

All we can do is wait quietly.

Like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.

A few more moments passed.

New information has emerged again.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: Don't try to imitate this kind of thing again. Clichés can't save a book; a good story is.

Just a simple sentence.

But it was like a thunderclap that exploded in my mind.

That's too lenient a statement.

The weight, however, was so heavy that it made it hard for me to breathe.

These three years.

I have studied the Three Golden Chapters.

I've learned rhythm templates.

He has studied various so-called "god-making" secret manuals.

I desperately chased the trend.

They desperately imitated popular products.

But in the end...

The more I learn, the more confused I become; the more I write, the more I break down.

No one has ever said such a thing to me.

Let's get back to the story itself.

These five words weigh as much as a thousand pounds.

[Charcoal-grilled tomato]: I'll remember that, senior.

I typed these words carefully.

Every word was imbued with reverence.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: Revise the outline as I just mentioned. Maximize the conflict and keep the suspense alive. Send it to me again after you're done, and I'll give you the final approval.

[Grilled Tomatoes]: Great!

I replied crisply and concisely.

My heart is filled with an unprecedented sense of peace.

Just as I was about to close the dialog box and concentrate on revising the outline...

On the other end, another casual remark was added.

[Arctic sweet shrimp]: That's right.

My fingers paused.

My whole body tensed up instantly.

[Arctic Sweet Shrimp]: In the future, when you write, less self-indulgent sentimentality and more focus on the characters' desires. You're writing for your readers, not for yourself.

This sentence.

This is more poignant than any of the previous reviews.

It is sharper than any criticism.

I sat blankly in front of the computer.

He remained motionless for a long time.

Self-pity.

These four words.

It pinpointed all my problems over the past three years.

I've always been immersed in my own world.

I am moved by my own perseverance.

I am moved by my own efforts.

I was moved by my own perseverance.

But I forgot.

Readers don't care how hard you try.

Readers only care about whether the story is good or not.

It turns out I've been putting the cart before the horse all along.

It turns out I've been indulging myself all along, while disgusting the readers.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside me.

There was shame, realization, shock, and a sense of relief.

I took a deep breath.

I will engrave these words firmly in my heart.

I did not reply.

Silently open the outline document.

This time.

The line of thought is clearer than ever before.

Remove the unnecessary warmth.

Remove the unnecessary background information.

Delete the self-indulgent nonsense.

The protagonist was cornered.

Bring the conflict to its maximum.

Each sentence was revised.

I can feel it clearly.

The story is hardening little by little.

Become ruthless.

It changed to arresting people.

But as you keep revising it...

I couldn't help but drift off into my own thoughts again.

My gaze unconsciously drifted toward that ID.

Arctic sweet shrimp

Just asking?

Is this really just a casual question?

An ordinary film and television enthusiast.

How could someone have such a discerning eye?

How could a single sentence possibly clarify a problem that has puzzled me for three years?

How is it possible to have such a deep understanding of the story?

I stopped typing.

A thought began to frantically grow in my mind.

It's getting clearer and clearer, stronger and stronger.

This mysterious senior who suddenly appeared.

They are probably not just ordinary enthusiasts.

On her body.

There must be one hidden.

A secret I could never have imagined.

And this is the secret.

When will I finally uncover the truth?

[End of Chapter]