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2024-10-29 19:42:56* You have a friend request from Elend#5989
Waking up to a sudden notification, he groaned and reached for his phone to turn it off. Yet, just as he grabbed a hold of it, a new message froze him in his place.
Elend#5989: Hey! I’ve read a bit of your book, and it’s great!
“Holy shit,” he rejoiced and put his glasses on to double check, “I be damned, and it’s a girl no less.”
Joyfully setting the message aside, he went through his morning routine with a pep in his step, thrilled to have his first fan. Even if the compliment was generic, it was still something to cherish.
Just as he got back online, however…
Elend#5989: I’m an assistant editor with GreatNovel. I want to help monetize your book. Have you signed contracts?
“God damn it, I’ve been had by a freaking bot...”
Despite giving voice to a sardonic chuckle, he was quite bitter inside. He’d been baited like a typical boomer. Even as he guessed if it was a crawler bot he was dealing with, he remained polite and abstained from raining curses on it.
Morpheus#1909:I don’t really have an interest in signing anything, I’m quite new to the space.
As if to confirm his guess, Elend proceeded to send a few walls of text detailing their website contests, and just how great their platform was in comparison to the one he’d chosen.
Not really buying it, he nonetheless posed a few questions that arose from it. After all, the newbie helpers weren’t of any use.
As it turned out, Elend was in fact a girl, despite coming across as a spam-bot at first glance. It didn’t give him any relief, however, because she soon claimed he had been walking on thin ice!
Supposedly, QiE-Novel was a predatory corp who would strip him of his rights and name. She also outlined how they apparently faked their view rates, but at this point he bought none of it.
It had become clear she was just a competitor looking to get a dime out of signing him. At this point, he even doubted if she read or enjoyed his book.
Morpheus#1909: Thanks for reaching out, but I’m not interested at the moment. I’ll get back to you if I change my mind.
Cordially parting ways, he was nonetheless annoyed to have wasted an entire hour hearing about random competitors. He’d never even heard of GreatNovel before, and after a first look it had become apparent it was way smaller than QiE-Novel in reach.
“No wonder they’re so unscrupulous.”
Still, Murphy was inherently a skeptic, so he wouldn’t put subjective anger into action. Though he felt tricked, he decided to seek a second opinion.
Surprisingly, the helpers were very insightful this time. They systematically disproved most of Elend’s claims and helped him realize he chose the right platform.
According to Naide, top authors earned five figures monthly by posting on QiE-Novel, something other platforms couldn’t compete with.
To Murphy, nothing had better credibility than solid cash, so he heeded their advice and immediately blocked the poacher.
In doing so, he sealed that path and steered his course directly towards ruin. The gigantic maw of the Chinese corp readily swallowed him whole.
There was no turning back now.
- — ✎ — -
Even with a goal lined up for him, writing didn’t get any easier. His book didn’t get any new readers, either. Refresh as many times as he might, it hardly changed reality — His book was boring.
Despite inwardly disagreeing with the one-glance critics, he felt more and more compelled to listen to their advice.
If people wanted noodles, he was deemed wrong to prepare a full course meal for them. Their advice was to simplify his work and rid it of its essence. Then, to cater to more people, he was to introduce more popular or trendy tropes.
To him, it was no different than asking him to butcher his own child.
Inherently, he knew it was a mistake to think like that. He was not meant to be bound to his ideas, especially when he was so new to the practice. He should have heeded their advice. After all, he asked for it.
Still, something rubbed him the wrong way about this. He wasn’t sure if it was instinct or bitterness, but his heart screamed against it.
“I’ve been led astray by you before,” he clutched his chest, the scars of past woes hidden, but still there, “I will not succumb to your beats this time.”
Mulling over his options, he chose to bide his time. In truth, their trojan advice already poisoned his mind and subverted its passion.
His flame of passion dwindled, dimmer than ever before, and he experienced his first barrier.
Murphy had heard many speak of this elusive ‘writer’s block’, but he never gave it any consideration.
As far as he remembered, he could always think of something to write. He was Morpheus, weaver of dreams endless. He had enough content to ramble about for a lifetime.
At least, it should have been that way. But as he hovered over the keyboard, nothing but laments came out. His fantasy was dead.
Submitting to reality, he closed his eyes to his dreamscape. He let logic and money dictate his path, and he readily walked on it.
Somewhat ironically in retrospect, he recalled the bible. It too spoke of a broader path that’s easy to tread, and a much narrower one that only a select few can complete.
“If so many tread upon it, how can it be wrong?”
Letting logic reinforce his resolve, he caged his heart entirely and wrote.
Without passion, without dreams, but he wrote something.
Like a bland factory, he churned out chapter after chapter.
Scene after scene, from cheap romance to the development of whole harems. Combat and action that made little sense and had no planning, regularly saved by plot devices to retain coherence.
He sunk so deep into the grind, it had stopped disgusting him.
His quality faltered, but his views rose.
Was he happy?
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An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 7 - The Grind
He was miserable. Despite the sacrifices made in the past few months, little had improved in his outreach. If one thing did change, it was that he stopped refreshing. After a few weeks, he had simply given up on the idea of a miracle, and gloomily avoided analytics entirely. Without his passion driving him, he gradually lost motivation, even though he met up with his quota. Waking up at 6 in the morning, sometimes earlier, he would be a mindless drone throughout the day. When he came back in the evening, he was too exhausted to keep up with ‘the grind’. As his acclaimed peers advised him, he had to strive to post daily, at least a few thousand words. It would be the only way to make it to the top. “Two chapters a day is the minimum if you want to earn,” he remembered seeing at some point. That’s where the seeds of misery sprouted from. Whereas previously he would spend his days daydreaming and skip home with excitement, unable to wait until he could pen his next few words —
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 8 - Chains of Hope
“Here’s to 250! @everyone” A monumental occasion, the end of volume 3 and a whole 250 chapters posted in under a year. Alas, there was no celebration this time, either. Murphy merely rubbed his weary eyes and posted an update on his social media, ensuring his gaggle of addicts didn’t bother him about their daily dose. It was all routine at this point. Fake smiles, fake gratitude, and fake friendships. Once the charade took hold over reality for so long, it was hard to distinguish between what was true and false. He scorned everything as false, because he himself was a liar. Deceptive at all times. To build connections, he had to lie and say he enjoyed works he actually despised. He knew the others did the same. To build a fandom, he had to lie to the readers and claim he was grateful for compliments, and remorseful when they hated it. In truth, he didn’t care. To build his book, he even had to lie to himself. It is the latter types of lies that are hardest to distingu
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 9 - Excitement (Arc 2)
The years flew by. Winter chilled his empty wallet. Spring renewed his spirits. Summer kissed his cheeks good luck. Come autumn, he was ready for the promised harvest — and so were QiE-Novel.The world shifted rapidly around Murpheus, and he struggled to catch up with its flow. If 2020 to 2025 could be classed as “The Advent of AI”, then come 2027 — they had already arrived. “Introducing LACIE — Limitless Artificial Creator & Intelligent Editor. The future is right here, on QiE-Novel!”Having just ended a short mourning workout, Murphy logged on to his dashboard and prepared for the daily grind, only to be greeted by a system advert.Curious, he clicked for more details.“Dear creators, we are happy to announce that we’ve partnered with our parent-company to deliver an immense opportunity to you after this Fall’s Soul Contest. “LACIE will be paired up with the top 100 contestants and serve as your personal assistant over the next year, helping you edit your work.“Trained on the va
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 10 - Disappointment
Another two years passed. « LACIE: Hello Murpheus, I am saddened to announce that our cooperation hereby ends, as you have failed to qualify for a top 100 position. Better luck next year! » “This is bullshit!” he raged, slamming a fist against the desk and sending the monitor inches in the air. As it turned out, the sweet fruit that was promised to uplift creators to new heights, was nothing but a poisoned dagger. They readily put it to their own throat and helped align the blade to their artery. “Fuckers! How can you make an AI compete in the Soul Contest? 35 of the entries qualified for top 100!” His rage was deafening in the isolated apartment, but silent in its reach. He could never make his complaints heard, not even to his own peers. He trusted none of them. I mean… how could he? The culture was teeming with animosity and competition, with writers not too shy from using underhanded tactics to get a one-up on the others. If they ratted them out to QiE-Novel and they los
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 11 - Rage Against the Machine
Fire — the hallmark of humanity’s rise. Across the streets of Paris, flames burned as well. Not as a celebration of civilization, but a requiem for its downfall. Roars borne of deep angst, the voice of a million people — united as one. Their blood aboil — hotter than the scattered pyres — the crowds chanted with every fiber of their being. Even so, they were unheard.The largest protest ever, unseen by their sworn leaders. The fires they lit could very well be seen from space, yet the world’s elite pretended all was normal. But, it wasn’t. The sudden upsurge in use of artificial intelligence across every economical sector resulted in the elimination of hundreds of thousands of jobs, all but overnight.What was meant to be the next step in uplifting humanity had all but resulted in its imminent collapse. The economy crumbled, setting the timer for a great reset.No one had an answer.Not the politicians, not your everyday people, and certainly not Murphy.He too joined in the riots
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 12 - Struggles
A sealed biodegradable container. That’s all his friend amounted to. A bored employee handed him the package and some papers over the counter. That was all there was to Nella’s departure. No different from picking up a package from the postal office, he signed off the cremated remains and went home. “Is this the value of life?” Holding the container in one hand, he found it shaking again. The ashes themselves were almost weightless, but the guilt was heavy like lead. He had to use the other hand to steady it, but there was nothing he could do about his broken heart. He wept. This time in the open, unashamed at the quizzical glances directed his way. He was so done with the world, he didn’t even bother to want to hide in that instant. It was only when his ride arrived that he snapped out of it, and in another dazed flash found himself home again. Ascending the stairs with weak limbs, he sighed, but found no relief in that either. Just as he came up to the door, he stumbled on
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Author's Note
Welcome everyone. I felt compelled to add some info on where I intend to take this novel. Half a dozen tags and a 70 word synopsis may not accurately capture what this book strives to represent. Let me preface this by saying this book is somewhat loosely inspired from real life events =) If you already intend to read the book in its entirety -- feel free to skip this. > Novel Structure:I intend the novel to be short, so it will likely end around 80,000 words ~ 75 chapters. (Free) Arc I (1-8) will cover Murphy's start as a webnovelist, culminating in him signing a contract with a certain very popular website ;) (Free) Arc II (9-20b) depicts a society crumbling into a cyberpunk-ish dystopia. AI plays a pivotal role in undermining civilization, and Murphy is caught at the forefront of it all. (Paid) Arc III (Ch 21 onwards) is where the MC reincarnates. He unveils his inherent magical abilities and goes back in time along with his system. There are 7 arcs planned in total as of th
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 13 - A New Hope
After spending the afternoon together, Murphy got to know Nella better than he did when she was alive. Though they were friends, he tended to keep a boundary around him at all times. The old man was on the brink, and Murphy didn’t have the heart to let him deal with it alone. So, despite very unwilling to deal with the understated awkwardness, he could only grit his teeth and comfort the man. A few drinks in, and they were sharing fond memories of her. Another few drinks later, and both men had to stifle their tears to avoid making the situation even more unbearable. By the time he was out, the old man was passed out, and Murphy had decided to stay in Romania. He couldn’t pin down a logical reason for it. Granted, it was very cheap and picturesque in the mountains, but there were a hundred other places just as good. Booking the cheapest cabin hotel, Morpheus felt his dreams stir that night. For the first time in what felt like decades, the doors leading to the ethereal realm he
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- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Final Words
Thank you to whoever made it this far :) I'll revise this at a later date, after I proof read and edit the book once or twice.At that point, it will be marked as complete and I will bid farewell to the site. Though I am glad to have accrued some readers, and met many peers among authors, it has been a tad underwhelming. Unable and unwilling to say anything more, I'll simply address some gratitude to Helen Bold.She's an excellent editor and author on the site, and has been the reason I delivered this book to you.Consider checking out her books. As for myself, I do have other book(s) published.I can't share links, but you can search for my name and they should appear. Alternatively, just add me on Discord, and I'll help you find your way. Thank you again to everyone who's given this a chance,As always, your attention has been a blessing.~Raven
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 73 - Epilogue
- — ✎ — - The five year anniversary of Murphy’s vow was finally upon him, but he had long since completed his promise. No later than a year after the final battle, he successfully unsealed his seventh gate. That came largely as a result of his success in that battle, and the fruits he claimed in its aftermath. Specifically, he salvaged Erebus’ consciousness. Once it was in his dream realm, he had all the time he needed to crack it. Other than being the de facto leader of Physis Nomos, the old man had dipped his toes in all kinds of criminal enterprises over the years. His psychic powers made him the perfect assassin. Lethal, traceless, silent. By reliving through his memories, Murphy salvaged hundreds of interesting connections, and tasked the Chainbreakers to follow up and unearth those leads. The cases they unveiled had all but quaked the world. From businessmen in Asia, to politicians in the deep state of the US, people from all over the world were incriminated. Proof w
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Ch 72 - Final Battle
Murphy had no time to curse as the earth dragged him back to its hard embrace. He was strangely familiar with this sensation, and knew exactly what the outcome of such a fall was. Alas, now was not the time to reminisce about his jump from the bridge…Erebus and his goons expected him to splatter across the ground, and even took steps to avoid the impact area. Yet, they were in for a surprise of their own, because despite appearing panicked and flailing his arms like a desperate duck, Murphy was anything but.When he was merely a second from impact, Murphy suddenly spread his psyche and willed himself to slow down.A sudden force shrouded the area, allowing Murphy to veer directly towards the bodyguards accompanying Erebus. Before those two could react, and too busy managing the hostages, Murphy made landfall next to them.His fists coated in fire struck the first one in the chest, eviscerating organs and bone alike. The other panicked, hand reaching for his gun, yet a mere glance ha
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Ch 71 - Erebus
Murphy paid no heed to the retinal text, and was far more preoccupied with Eleanor falling. His stretched out hand clasped, guiding his intent and will from afar.His psyche took form, his psychokinesis pushed to its next step, and she was suspended mid-air! He had achieved similar things with immaterial objects like a pen, but never a human.Luckily, her psyche was sapped by the curse and couldn’t resist. This allowed him to control her easily, or he would have been doomed to fail.She flew in the air, eyes squinted in horror once she realized what might befall her. The sensation of flying around eventually stopped, and she tentatively opened her eyes once she felt Murphy’s arms wind tightly around her.Murphy hugged her, bottling up a dozen curses and reproaches that could only wait for later. He was angry, but he was terrified even more.“Y-you’re crazy—” he bit his lips, leaving the rest of the accusation unsaid. “I’m sorry,” she offered plainly, before bursting into tears of her
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 70 - Sixth Gate
When Murphy snuck back on the ship, he was surprised to see Eleanor awake. Hands on her waist, she waited by the docking area and made sure he saw her pout.“Not even halfway through our honeymoon, and you’re already tired of me?” she joked and huffed, “I didn’t expect you to find someone else so quickly…”“Guilty as charged,” he grinned in response, “I figured since I scored the most beautiful woman on the planet, I might be lucky enough with the second…”“Compliments won’t get you out of this one, darling.” Ellie turned serious, “What were you up to?”“Kind of a long story… I didn’t want to sour our happiness, but it seems there’s no rest for the wicked.”“Sure, I’ll make some coffee. Tell me all about it.”“Tea for me,” he interjected as he reattached the boat to the yacht and trailed along to the lounge.A few minutes later, Eleanor sat in her rightful place, serving him tea while she drank coffee on his lap. They indulged the warm drinks in silence, but eventually Murphy gathere
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 69 - System Embryo
Murphy tried to focus on Erebus, but his visions didn’t become any clearer. He could not see past the darkness, try as he might to muster his power.Eventually, the revelations shattered as a whole, his psychic reserves almost exhausted. He could only cut his losses and sigh in regret.‘I was this close!’ Murphy struck the edge of his marble throne, shattering the armrest to pieces. It was only then that he was reminded it was a mere dream, and a terrified child was staring at him in fear.“Fear not, Asen,” he tried to comfort, but the fire in his eyes didn’t make him sound very convincing.It was only when the boy outright started crying that Murphy realized his folly and doused the inner flame, regaining a more calm demeanor. “I’m sorry,” he lifted the boy off the ground, and brought him someplace nicer in that same instant, “Don’t cry any longer… I won’t hurt you. I promise.”“I know,” the sniveling boy replied amidst tears, “That’s… not… why I’m crying…”“Then?”“I just… don’t wa
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 68 - Horrid Revelations
“What is this? Why can’t I see their faces?” the boy asked, clutching at the hem of Morpheus’ robe. “You don’t seem them because they don’t exist, not in this reality. Now watch, young Asen.”A scene played out before them like a three dimensional movie, and the two of them relived the hospital encounter. A teenager walked in, his face redacted and replaced by a simplified smug emoji. Their words were clear, however, as was the part where he mind controlled Eleanor to explode in a crowd. He shuffled backwards afterwards, depicting the woman strapped to a chair while a family of three watched.“Why are you showing me these evil people?” Asen questioned, his adorable young mind clearly perceiving things in black and white.“So you don’t become like them.”“I would never!” the boy denied vehemently, “My mother says bad people can’t go to heaven.”“What if there was no hell, young Asen?” Murphy questioned rhetorically, “If there was no heaven to yearn for, and no judgement in an afterli
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 67 - Asen
Murphy grabbed the phone and looked closely at the picture, his frown deepening. That boy was the same psychic who mind controlled Eleanor in the future, but right now he was merely a prepubescent pup. “How old is he now?” Murphy asked, his voice showing some conflict as he indicated the photo. “He’s only 13!” the nurse replied and fell to the ground as well, clinging to life with her whole being, “Please, our son is still young… We’ll stop doing this… Just—““Silence!” Murphy boomed, sending a telekinetic blast that flipped the woman over and sent her careening against the wall.The doctor winced, but didn’t dare move to help his wife. They just stared at the ground and hoped someone would come save them. As for the monster, he continued to stare at the picture, flames dancing in his eyes.‘Should I kill him now?’ he asked himself repeatedly, unsure how to proceed. On one hand, he burned with righteous indignation, having been blinded and robbed of his life. Ellie had it even wors
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 66 - Dilemma
A black SUV stopped at the side of a small family clinic in Burgas. The city CCTVs monitoring the streets tracked the vehicle all the way from the suburbs. A single driver got out, opened the trunk and retrieved a duffel bag, then walked to the rear doors of the clinic. The surveillance cut off at that point, a sudden glitch in the system causing the camera to malfunction and stop recording. By the time it was turned back on, the vehicle was long gone. Coincidentally, it had been reported as stolen that same night.Murphy blinked, dismissing the latest retinal message from the system, then waltzed in towards the emergency doors. His hand pushed against the lock, searing the metal and turning it into a worthless puddle that gave in to his push.The building plans appeared in his right eye like a 3D map, and he conveniently followed them down the stairs. The clinic was small, and only saw high-end clients, so its security was top of the art. Cameras lingered at just about every othe
