Chapter 505 - Zhang Yes wondrous way of cooking up publicity! (1/2)
Chapter 505: Zhang Ye's wondrous way of cooking up publicity!
There was nothing going on outside the study room.
What was Old Wu doing now?
Zhang Ye decided to go online to check out the reviews for his novel. Some commented that it wasn't good, while others said it was just so-so, but most other reviews said that it was good and it seemed like the novel was also quite well received. The main reason for the negative reviews was that most of the readers could not understand it and thus did not want to continue reading on. Those that liked it could not wait for the next chapter to be released and even labeled it as a work of G.o.d!
The click rates for a single chapter was around 600,000. The click counter on the blog was a little inaccurate as the 600,000 didn't mean all 600,000 people had read it. It included repeated clicks and also those who clicked on it by accident. This result might seem like it was quite good for most other people, as it showed that a lot of people read it, but for a literary figure of high standing like Zhang Ye, this result was not considered good. It was at most an OK turnout. In the past, whenever he posted a poem, any poem, it would receive a few million views at the very least. The poem post would be forwarded countless times too, but this time, the reaction to the novel was rather flat. It did not cause any sensationalism and only a portion of his hardcore fans called it good. Many others probably did not know that he had published a new novel at all.
This was a consequence of being banned!
Zhang Ye had already antic.i.p.ated this earlier!
What should he do? He had to think of an idea. Such an excellent piece of work definitely could not be ruined by his hands. It was fine even if he couldn't publish the novel or earn any money from it, but the amount of people who should be reading it mustn't be just a small handful like this. Since he had already published it online for free, he absolutely had to attempt to gain as much reputation from it as possible. While being banned, any reputation earned would surely be considered as extremely precious. He definitely had to maximize his returns from it!
In the comments section.
”I'm extremely disappointed!”
”What an insult to Journey to the West!”
”I've read a few chapters already, but I have no idea what it’s talking about!”
A few comments caught Zhang Ye's attention. Those were the comments from several people from the literary world who had irreconcilable differences with him, people like Big Thunder and the Beijing Writer's a.s.sociation's Vice President Meng Dongguo. Zhang Ye had gone from the crosstalk circle and jumped back into the literary world. Because of that, this bunch of people had surfaced again!
When Zhang Ye saw their comments, he did not get angry. Instead, his eyes lit up as he thought of an idea!
These people could be considered his ”old friends.” Zhang Ye had battled with the literary world for so long that he had lost track of how many times they had fought. In the past, when this bunch of people had appeared, they were always finding fault with him and attacking him, stepping on him only to be slapped back hard in the face by Zhang Ye. But today Zhang Ye was not preparing to do so; instead he had decided he would make the first move!
He tapped on Meng Dongguo's Weibo and discovered that he had published a novel just last month. It was a fictional book called Wind in the Paddy Fields. Sales seemed to have done quite well.
”It's quite flavorful to read.”
”Teacher Meng's new book is really a good read!”
”Looking forward to Teacher Meng's new novel!”
Zhang Ye had not read this novel before and did not plan to, but he directly posted on Weibo: ”@MengDongguo, Wind in the Paddy Fields? Why don't you call it Oil in the Gutter instead! What lousy novel is this!”
”Ah!”
”Zhang Ye posted on Weibo!”
”What? Oil in the Gutter?”
”Zhang Ye is attacking Meng Dongguo's new novel?”
Zhang Ye's fans were shocked for a moment.
Meng Dongguo and his fans would not have any of this. They angrily called out, rolled up their sleeves, and went straight to Zhang Ye's Weibo!
”Zhang Ye! Who are you to question Teacher Meng!”
”Have you even read Wind in the Paddy Fields?!”
”Are you even qualified to criticize it!”
”Do you think that your novel is any good!”
”This is so numbing! You're the one who is gutter oil!”
Very quickly, Zhang Ye and Meng Dongguo's fans were crossing swords as well!
However.
The accused, Zhang Ye, did not stay around. He went over to Big Thunder's Weibo and found out that he had posted a poem a while ago named Are you doing well?. And so, he posted his comment: ”@BigThunder! What lousy poem is this!”
If it were anyone else who posted this, Big Thunder and his fans would not be angered. There were many people who liked to criticize others and not everyone could be forced to like something, but the person who was criticizing it was Zhang Ye, a celebrity. Thus, his fans immediately reacted!
”Zhang Ye!”
”You are going too far!”
”Why are you scolding others out of the blue!”
Yet another wave of fans were stirred, this time for Big Thunder!
Next, Zhang Ye went to famed fairy tale author, Little Red Mushroom's Weibo. He saw that she had just released a fairy tale collection of stories earlier today and there were posts that were promoting it. Zhang Ye posted his comment: ”What lousy book is this!”
Little Red Mushroom was stupefied. She had been promoting her new collection of stories online when she saw Zhang Ye’s comment. Her first reaction was something along the lines of: ”d.a.m.n it, Zhang Ye! I didn't step on your tail recently! It was all in the past, but now that you have nothing to do, you came to scold my new collection of fairy tales? This was bullying!”
Little Red Mushroom checked his Weibo and found out that he had written a new novel. After reading it a little, she angrily posted: ”Your Legend of Wukong is the ridiculous one! And you even dare to come to my Weibo to scold my new book? You're a public figure, so you should watch your words. Everyone can see what you’ve written! Don't make yourself appear so tasteless!”
Then, Zhang Ye replied with another, ”What lousy book is this!”
Little Red Mushroom was so angered by this. He's such a big bully! What a big bully! She immediately gathered her fan club's members and went to Zhang Ye's Weibo for a scolding battle with them!
Then, Zhang Ye had come to crosstalk actor Tang Dazhang's Weibo and found a post that he linked to a previous crosstalk performance of his. He left a comment saying: ”What lousy crosstalk is this!”
”Zhang Ye!”
”That Zhang Ye is here!”
”d.a.m.n! ****!”
”The crosstalk compet.i.tion was cancelled because of him! I'm so angry! And he still dares to come here to cause trouble now!?”
Tang Dazhang only found out about this when he got a call from a friend. He woke up in anger and switched on his computer to post a reply to Zhang Ye on Weibo!