Became an American Retro Novelist - Chapter 200



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200.

It was a very interesting sight.

Rebecca and John, who used to talk freely whenever they thought of something to say at school, listened with their mouths shut as if they would not miss a single word of feedback from Simon and Julia. Even Kate’s eyes sparkled as she saw Julia’s mature and calm appearance, as if she wanted to learn something.

As I watched those three people and the two editors on the other side, I thought.

‘Those two are definitely adults.’

And what should I say?

Now that we are comfortable with each other, I don’t really think about it, but Simon and Julia are really nice people. No matter how much I asked them to do it, when I listened to their stories, I could really feel how seriously they had read Rebecca and John’s novels.

Simon first evaluated Rebecca’s novel as follows:

“It’s rough and brutal, so it’ll be a hit with a lot of tastes.”

“Yes, yes.”

“But I feel like the little bit of romance mixed in there works as a nice seasoning. I definitely have a strong feeling that some of the author’s short stories will be meaningful works in the market.”

“Excuse me, can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, please feel free to speak.”

“Well, do you think it will sell?”

“To be honest, I don’t think that’s true.”

Rebecca’s shoulders slump for a moment at Simon’s firm words.

Simon continued to speak quietly in front of him.

“But genres are not necessarily good just because they sell well. And they don’t just pick out those kinds of stories. It depends on the tone of each publishing company, but… Some places definitely need these kinds of special works. For example, there might be a newspaper company.”

‘Oh my.’

I was impressed.

Certainly, Rebecca Wong’s short stories had a strong so-called ‘maniac’ tendency. That’s why they might not sell well, but when they were collected in a space where many works were serialized, they would stand out among the other works. Rebecca’s works were in demand in that area.

‘I was aiming for the dog’s head, not the lion’s tail, so Torrance New Media was right.’

It was an even more fitting choice, knowing that it would soon become another lion.

“How about the Los Angeles Times as a serial publication?”

“Would it be possible for my work to be published there?”

Julia answered that.

“It will require a lot of revision. Besides, it’s a bit embarrassing for me to say this, but the Los Angeles Times, one of the top five newspapers in the United States, certainly has many good writers. I can say that it’s not even certain whether Wong will get a job or not.”

“Well, you’re the author······.”

“You are a writer. Because you wrote a novel.”

Julia said forcefully as she watched Rebecca cringe again.

‘what?’

That guy, he looks a bit out of sorts today.

But it didn’t seem like a bad direction. It felt like she was confidently standing in front and leading the young writer. Rebecca also seemed to be greatly impressed by Julia’s words, and sat up straight for a moment.

“I believe in the author’s work. So I hope the author believes in his work too.”

“······Thank you.”

Rebecca bows her head in greeting.

Next it was John’s turn.

***

‘It’s a fun piece with a distinct personality. However, the composition is still awkward. If it’s polished up well, it could aim to be serialized in a magazine.’

That was Simon’s review of John’s novel, The Warrior’s Way.

When asked if he would take charge and try to revise it together, John just nodded repeatedly.

The meeting concluded with Simon taking charge of John and Julia taking charge of Rebecca.

After that, I took the kids and returned to Stanford.

“Awesome! Is this really professional?”

“I, I’ll go back and check my manuscript again. I’ll have to think about what might be helpful for working with Mr. Chandler. Kate, can you help me with that?”

“I have to watch the drama About Tea later······.”

“I’ll buy you food.”

“No······.”

Two aspiring writers, as excited as students who have just returned from a field trip.

It was a day spent as a student guide, but it was fun. It was because I was able to experience the emotions I felt as a new writer from over their shoulders.

After parting ways with the three of them, I went straight to the dormitory’s pay phone and called Simon. I had a lot to talk to him about today’s events.

After a brief pause, Miss Brown answered the phone and handed it over to Simon.

[Author, did you get in okay?]

“Simon, thank you so much for today. I wish Julia had been there to hear it too.”

[It’s a shame, but he went ahead and had a drink.]

“By the way, what’s been going on with Julia lately? She seemed a bit on edge today.”

[It’s a bit awkward for me to say it myself······.]

“Oh, I understand. I’ll ask you later. But, the kids’ novel was really good, right?”

[Yes, of course. You know I don’t talk nonsense like this. But there was something that struck me as odd.]

“What is it?”

Feeling intrigued, I leaned against the glass wall of the public phone booth.

[I think Rebecca’s novel is similar to ‘Mother’ and John’s novel is similar to ‘Princess Quest’. Rather than the story being similar, is it the overall atmosphere? What do you think, author?]

“Oh, definitely.”

In terms of its underlying thriller and bizarre atmosphere, Rebecca’s novel was reminiscent of ‘Mother’, and in terms of its bright atmosphere and unique subject matter, John’s novel was reminiscent of ‘Princess Quest’.

It was something I hadn’t really been aware of, so after receiving the criticism and thinking about it, I found it a bit strange.

[Somehow it feels like fate that Julia and I each took on our own works.]

“Is that so?”

[Previously, Julia took charge of ‘Princess Quest’ and I took charge of ‘Mother’, right? This time, the situation is reversed! Don’t you feel a sense of fateful flow, author?]

“Oh, you could certainly see it that way.”

[I hope that both works will come to fruition and that they both sell well. It would be even better if they were published under the name of Hardboiled Publishing later on!]

Simon’s easy-going smile made me feel relieved too.

Just as I was about to finish my greetings and hang up the phone, Simon added something.

[Oh, and author.]

“yes?”

[You asked me about Julia at the beginning. Now that I think about it, I think it may not have been your intention, but this incident may have helped Julia a lot.]

“······When you say it like that, I don’t know anymore.”

No, what the hell happened?

***

About a month after that.

By early November, work on Julia Chandler and Rebecca Wong’s manuscript was progressing smoothly, with the contract with Hardboiled Publishers finalized.

Although the feedback and revisions were only done over the phone due to the distance between us, it was more enjoyable than I thought.

Julia asked various questions to the usually nervous novice writer in order to have an emotional exchange and smooth feedback, and the stories that came out of them were more interesting than she expected.

[I didn’t originally read genre fiction, but because of God, I became like this.]

Rebecca, who was so curious about what genre fiction was because the novels Shin wrote in class were so interesting that she ended up writing one herself.

And from there, the activity called ‘Pulp Fiction Club’ continued.

As she listened to the general circumstances, Julia began to figure out what kind of writer Rebecca was.

Since Rebecca is a newcomer who has not even debuted yet, it felt like her novel was not polished as a genre. And apart from her work, the writer herself often showed signs of being nervous and mentally unstable during our conversation.

As she watched, Julia used several strategies.

For example, give a lot of praise and minimize the parts that need to be improved.

Talk a lot about what needs to be fixed and give as little praise as possible.

Sometimes you encourage them. Sometimes you scold them.

I continued to work with Rebecca, observing each response and the quality of the manuscripts that came back.

And so, at some point, coming home, sipping cocktails, and reading Rebecca’s novels became Julia’s new routine.

And naturally I came to this thought.

‘Somehow it reminds me of the old days.’

Sometimes as a strict teacher, sometimes as a colleague who reads the same novel and shares his thoughts, and sometimes as a strong supporter who supports him from below.

So that a writer named Rebecca Wong can do her part,

It made Julia recall feelings she had forgotten until recently, ever since she had entered college.

As an editor, it was a joy to be of help to someone.

I never really helped Shin out much as an editor while I was working on ‘About T’, because I was busier with my work as an agent.

Rebecca was a writer with a really low understanding of genre. Whenever she let her guard down, she would have a habit of trying to write sentences with depth, which is typical of pure literature, and as a result, she would often forget the original fun of the work itself, which is important in the genre.

But she wanted to write specifically about a genre.

When I asked why, this was the answer I got.

[I want to write something like the ‘Losers’ series. Oh, this is a secret from God. Even if he is a writer I respect, I don’t want to show it off in front of him because he goes to the same college as me. But that novel, which deeply melts the fun of the genre and my own philosophy, was really fun.]

The novel of God changed Rebecca Wong’s world forever.

Just like Remy Martin changed the world.

‘I heard that the second part is selling like hotcakes as it has just started being published in other states.’

What kind of reaction will people have when they read it?

‘Universe of Losers’, the sequel to ‘Country of Losers’, how will it change the world of people?

I was really looking forward to it and was very happy.

These moments, when a talented writer reveals his or her own world without being distorted or self-destructed by external circumstances, brought her great satisfaction.

Since then, the work has continued, and in December, the results finally came out.

“Writer Rebecca’s serialization has been decided.”

A place to meet God after returning from the fall semester of the second year.

Simon said he was running late because he had a separate meeting, and when Julia brought that up when they were alone for the first time in a while, Shin was delighted.

“Really?! That kid didn’t even say anything to me!”

“Oh, then I guess I said it for nothing.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll pretend I don’t know until he tells me. And he might be hiding it because he thinks he can’t find out until he signs the contract.”

“Haha, you really worry a lot.”

“That’s great. How are things going with Simon and John?”

“It seems like the two of them don’t get along. When Simon provokes John, he brings back something really interesting but incomprehensible.”

“······Then, if the two of you somehow get along well, it’ll all work out. Well.”

“Yes, Simon is that kind of editor.”

An editor who endlessly supports and encourages the writer from the side.

It was the complete opposite of Julia, who analyzed the writer and guided him in various directions.

But both of them had the same thoughts about the writer.

Shin also believed in the two and devoted himself to his work along with his studies throughout the fall semester.

And just recently, I finally finished ‘About T’.

A story of growth that goes beyond high school and into college due to immense popularity.

Tony and Alice each overcome various crises that arise from changes in their environment and the growth of their thoughts, and eventually end up in a passionate love.

While meeting everyone’s expectations as a popular novel, it also maintained tension until the end with the author’s unique twist called Shin, receiving a great response from readers. So much so that readers still hope that he will write more stories.

Julia concluded her long, drawn-out story with this assessment:

“It was a good ending.”

“Kate was crying. I thought that kid was a robot.”

“Is Kate the writer’s friend?”

“Yes, and I’m a huge fan of the ‘About T’ series.”

“I think you’ll like it since the drama has already started production on Season 2.”

“······I heard you also went to the production presentation.”

A public announcement event for Season 2 production, featuring the cast and crew.

Kate, who attended with Doofy, seemed to have shown such great love for ‘About T’ that even everyone involved knew of its existence.

For your information, at that time, Shin was unable to participate as he was concentrating on work and studies.

It was because there was a blockage in describing the process of the two main characters’ love continuing, even if it was just a little bit.

‘I had high expectations because Alexa, who gained unexpected popularity, was included in the cast.’

It was unfortunate, but it couldn’t be helped.

In preparation for the SF Awards that will begin at the end of the year, and to maintain anticipation for the next work, I thought it was necessary to end the ‘About T’ series on a high note.

Still, it was fortunate that the work was completed well thanks to that.

“Is it time for each magazine to come out with their reviews of the ‘Losers’ series?”

“That’s right. The selection of the best works of the year. Author. I heard it vaguely······.”

“Oh, don’t say anything. What if I get my hopes up for nothing and it doesn’t work out?”

“Haha, it’s okay, author. I’m sure things will work out well.”

Julia smiled meaningfully and asked indirectly.

“Author, are you thinking about a new work?”

“I always do. I’ve been focusing on ‘About T’, so I guess I can move on to a completely different novel now. The question is what kind of novel to write and how to write it. Since I’m not a full-time writer yet, I tend to only start in earnest when I have a certain topic that I think is right for me. I’m going to organize my ideas by meeting people until I get inspiration.”

“If you ever need my help writing any novel, please let me know.”

“Thank you always.”

The god answers with a smile.

And Julia added one more thing.

“Author, can I ask you a favor?”

“What favor do you have?”

“No matter what new work you write, I hope you continue to change the world with your novels, just like you have done so far.”

Julia delivers words with substance.

Hearing those words, Shin suddenly remembered the conversation he had had with her before.

It was after the graduation ceremony where he first revealed his identity.

Even then, Julia spoke in a similar tone as she does now.

‘Please continue to write good articles in the future. As I said above.’

In a tone of voice as if looking at a grown younger sibling.

The god, who had been lost in thought for a moment with his mouth shut, said this, although he thought it sounded a little strange.

“I can’t do it alone. I need an editor named Julia Chandler to continue to support me.”

“yes?”

“We’re a good team, aren’t we? Whether it’s when we go out together for business meetings or when we talk about novels. Oh, and of course, we’re a team of three, including Simon. I think our teamwork will be even more killer than that of the ‘A-Team’.”

God truly thought so.

A novel is not written alone.

Although the degree may vary depending on the writer, it was ultimately a collaborative effort with the editor.

The writer tells the editor about the thoughts floating around in his head without any particular order, and the editor responds by helping with planning and organizing, allowing him to delve deeper, and preventing him from going in the wrong direction. Psychologically, they can also be each other’s lighthouses.

Even if it wasn’t directly related to the novel, Julia’s opinion about living in 1985 was valuable enough for God.

As she heard the explanation that followed, Julia felt her heart tingle for a moment.

It was the words she most wanted to hear right now, even though she herself didn’t realize it.