Surviving as a Writer in the British Empire

Vincent Villiers(1)

“If it’s a new work… are you saying you’d like to do one more work?”

“Yes, it is.”

I said that calmly. But surprisingly, Bentley’s expression was trembling.

what? If you feel burdened by Monthly, would it be better for me to do one more project?

When asked, Bentley nodded.

“Of course, if the author also uploads manuscripts from monthly magazines, we have nothing to ask for. To be honest, most of the fans who are subscribing to ＜Temple Bar＞ right now are fans of the artist, so if the artist works hard, even the fans who would lose weekly will turn to buying both.”

“Then why do you look so unhappy?”

“Yes, ＜Peter Perry＞ is gaining popularity at its peak, but that doesn’t mean it has fully settled in the market yet. From my point of view, until this can settle down as a genre in the market a little more…”

Oh, so that’s what you’re worried about?

pause.

“I am not saying that I will neglect ＜Peter Perry＞.”

I firmly shook my head.

am i a binggu? Roughly speaking, a serial novel that sells so well in only 3+α volumes?

I already feel like I can’t finish a novel if I don’t write at least 8 volumes.

and.

“As you know, my hands are a bit fast, aren’t they?”

“It is.”

“So while I had some spare time… I wrote my next work.”

While saying that, I handed out a plot note with the first volume of the next work and the plot of the future, which I had made together when I was writing the third volume.

Seeing Bentley’s eyes widen, he seemed quite surprised.

“No, when the hell is this…”

“hahahaha. What is this?”

To be honest, it’s true that it’s a little too much, but I don’t think it’s necessary to say that.

I smiled and watched Bentley flip through the manuscript.

The name of the new manuscript is ＜Vincent Villiers＞.

This work was created with the inspiration I felt while watching London in the 19th century, which was vividly alive and moving.

＜Peter Perry＞ was a novel for children, so this time I raised the target age a little.

This era is the end of the 19th century, and at this time, genre literature for adults is definitely…

“This is… revenge.”

“I used ＜The Count of Monte Cristo＞ as a motif.”

I said without spitting in my mouth.

Of course, there are some quotes from Alexandre Dumas, so it’s not a lie.

The main character of this work, Vincent, was originally from a laborer in the East End and did not have a proper last name. He was just called Vincent.

Vincent, who thought that he would not be able to live like this, became a lawyer after a lot of hard work, and became successful enough to work as an exclusive tax accountant and administrator in the fictional duke’s family, the ‘Villiers Duchy’.

However, in the Villiers family, Vincent is killed by blaming him for problems such as tax evasion, slush funds, and smuggling… Vincent, who has been torn apart like that, closes his eyes, swearing revenge.

But, oh my gosh.

Vincent, who thought he was dead, opened his eyes and realized that he had become Vincent Villiers, the youngest grandson whom the Villiers family had abandoned!

After that, Vincent takes away the most precious money, honor, and family of the person who killed him by using everything he can use, including the corruption and vices of the Villiers family he knows.

In other words, this is not a simple revenge.

To be precise, it was a form that was popular in the web novel industry, mixed with revenge, so to speak, it could be evaluated as a ‘conglomerate’.

The fundamental box office factor of this genre is the vicarious satisfaction of the desire to rise in status, and a cider pass for the vested class who monopolized irrational power over an incompetent and immoral subject.

Therefore, when it is impossible to rise in status, it sells better, and when the vested class is incompetent, it is cooler.

Even in a Korean society in which it is possible to rise in status through fame and fortune, and in a society of meritocracy, where the vested interests ‘appear’ to be competent, this genre sold incredibly well.

If so, this British Empire, where the rise in status is more blocked than in Korea, and the vested interests are more incompetent.

A society where the lower classes define their own limits, and uptown and downtown are divided from ‘language’.

Above all, how would the reaction be in a caste society where incompetent aristocrats like Winston ‘The Gallipoli’ Churchill are straining their necks?

I can assure you that if the size of the vicarious satisfaction is greater than that of Korea, it will not be large or small.

Well, of course…

“Author… This is dangerous.”

It’s just as risky, though.

I smiled and saw such a Bentley.

“Is it unconventional?”

“Isn’t that obvious! No matter how much realism novels are in vogue these days and social critiques are booming, this one goes way too far! If you do something wrong…”

“Mr. Bentley.”

I interrupted him. and asked

“For now, put those trivial things aside.”

“Now, it’s a trifle.”

“So… is it fun? Aren’t you having fun?”

Bentley’s mouth closed like honey.

It seemed as if he wanted to open his mouth and say something, but his will did not materialize.

His eyes were bloodshot and his nostrils were wide open.

in other words.

You can’t refute my words.

“It will be fun, right?”

“·························. Author, you are the devil.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I understand everything.”

I said so with a chuckle.

“Do not worry. I bet you It won’t be as big a deal as Mr. Bentley thinks.”

“Ha, but.”

“If it’s criticizing vested interests, isn’t that common in this era?”

I said calmly.

Although I said something grandiose before. This is the time when vested interests, that is, the values of the older generation… for example, the position of lineage or religion begin to be pushed aside by money.

The rise of the bourgeoisie, the fall of royal power. An era in which fragments of golden almightyism can be seen in a true sense.

Even in the UK where I live. It is not for nothing that the treatment of Christianity in novels like ＜Tess of the Dumbervilles＞ is horrendous.

Nobles are no different.

In ＜Little Princess＞, being treated as beggars for not having enough money, and the aristocratic characters appearing even worse means that the value of lineage is not as strong as before.

In other words, it seems unconventional, but it doesn’t contain as much thought as you might think.

He just pursued literary fun and added a trivial desire for revenge.

Becoming a noble just because you found some treasure is in ＜The Count of Monte Cristo＞, right?

“So, Mr. Bentley, just think of this.”

I whispered to Bentley.

“Is it fun or not? And… whether it will sell well or not.”

“Author…”

“How is it? Is this book interesting? Will it sell well?”

“…to be honest.”

And, Bentley managed to calmly speak while shaking with a pale face.

“From our point of view, it is more stable for the writer to focus on ＜Peter Perry＞.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I nodded.

Sales of ＜Peter Perry＞ are already constant. For publishers, it is far better to stick to constants. Variables are basically gambling.

“There is a very high possibility that people will like or dislike this work.”

“Yes, it is.”

But I was confident.

Already in Bentley’s eyes, a businessman convinced of the bonanza. And it’s because I read the eyes of readers who found interesting articles.

“But… personally, I have a feeling that I really want to see the manuscript of this ＜Vincent Villiers＞.”

“Please look forward to.”

You will probably never be disappointed.

I smiled and took Mr. Bentley’s hand.

***

Around the same time, London.

daughter and daughter.

“Jim, how are you?”

“Welcome, Mr. Doyle.”

Entering the pub, Arthur Conan Doyle looked around. In recent months, that’s what he’s seen every time he walks into a pub.

Jim sighed and shook his head.

“Sir, you haven’t come today.”

“······is it? It’s a pity, I’m really sorry.”

Arthur Conan Doyle said with a heartfelt sigh.

A few months ago, an unknown Asian I met at this pub I usually go to… Did I say Joseon? Anyway, a young man from that country.

His skin color was ocher, as is characteristic of East Asians, which he had only heard through rumors, but was lighter than expected, and his height was not short, but much taller.

He was fluent in English, and above all… he was a man of far greater intuition than the mediocre European.

Also, eugenics and racial theories have no meaning at all.

Arthur Conan Doyle’s usual thoughts became more solid.

And I wanted to meet that young man again.

I wanted to meet the young man again and be more stimulated in my intellect.

But… why don’t you come?

Why the hell isn’t he showing up? Jim’s cooking skills must be the best in London. Once you taste it, you will never forget it again…

“Whoa, I can’t help it. First, give me one ale.”

“All right. By the way, sir, are you sleeping well? Your complexion is not looking good.”

“this. You too have become a detective.”

Arthur sighed deeply and shook his head. It was as Jim said.

“It’s not fun.”

From noble mtl dot com

“Umm, what are you talking about?”

“Life is no fun. life.”

Arthur said in a grumbling tone. Jim couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Arthur is the author of the ＜Sherlock Holmes＞ series, which has become famous as the author of the best-selling novel, comparable to the ＜Peter Perry＞ of children’s literature in the world.

But he insisted.

– Detective novels have no literary value whatsoever! What I want to write is a historical novel that will go down in the history of literature!

but then what

Neither ＜Micah Clarke (1889)＞ nor ＜The White Company (1891)＞, which he devoted so much effort, sold!

As Jim, I wanted to ask, ‘Isn’t it good if it sells well anyway?’, but Arthur Conan Doyle vehemently refuted it.

—Ask the lion to graze on quality grass. Give the roe deer the best meat! Do you think they would appreciate it?!

It was not wrong.

Jim knew Arthur’s disposition well, so he just brought him the ale he ordered without saying anything.

Arthur Conan Doyle sighed and sat down in his reserved seat as usual.

Normally, I would have brought a pen and parchment and wrote 3,000 words a day.

But today I don’t feel like that.

My head is too dull. At this rate, it would be better to just get drunk and fall asleep.

A familiar magazine came into Arthur’s eyes.

“…Hmm, ＜Weekly Temple＞?”

Arthur Conan Doyle reached out and opened it.

He hated himself, but he was a writer of popular novels, and his penmanship came from extensive reading of many books.

Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudder Kipling, and… Hanslow Jean.

Like himself, a new writer who appeared like a comet in the British literary world that had been lax.

Like such a writer, the writing is too popular, so I am not completely satisfied, but now he is the father of two children. I thought I should read a few articles for children, and ＜Peter Perry＞ was one of them.

In his view, Hanslo Jin was a very unique writer.

I am not very interested in rhyme or vocabulary, elements that have been highly regarded in English literature until now.

The sentences are bizarrely short, and the lines are strangely numerous. But again, the grammar and plot are quite standard and easy.

All of these points combined to create good writing for preschoolers to read.

However, if there is no depth, it is not.

His unique speed control and technique were very good, and it felt like his brain and heart were getting chewy while reading it.

However, lately, he was not inspired by anything he read, so he was unknowingly staying away from books.

Is this what a slump is? It’s so depressing.

“How far have you seen…”

Arthur sighed and slowly turned the pages of the magazine.

Surprisingly, Jim had all the magazines that had been published in the past year, including Temple Bar and Weekly Temple.

and.

“… you killed Peter?”

I can’t believe he really killed me…

Arthur Conan Doyle murmured in wonder.

Of course, killing the main character in a serial novel is common. Besides, in ＜Peter Perry＞, there were several foreshadowings.

From the scene in the last episode where Iru-Ril was bitten by the black dog, the servant of Bagest the Beast, to the depiction of being ‘eroded’ implicitly.

So, are you going to go that way? I doubted that, but I never thought I would do it for real!

Isn’t this book fundamentally a children’s novel? To kill the main character in a book like that even for an instant…

At that moment, the words of the young Asian passed through his mind.

‘No, is it just our opinion that we thought it was a children’s book?’

Hanslo Jean, because he never once said that this book was a ‘children’s book’.

Then this death is also understandable.

Death is an inseparable subject matter from literature. Because it becomes great art depending on how you use it.

Hanslo Jin, he too thinks so, death like this… death, death….

“wait for a sec.”

In an instant, his body stiffened.

By any chance, could this be used?

His gray brain cells frantically weave sentences.

After a while, Arthur grabbed his forehead and burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha! yes this is it this! This could set you free! I can finally sleep in peace!”

After breaking up with a young Korean man and arresting Jack the Ripper, it was a refreshing laugh for the first time in a long time.

after a while

The manuscript of The Final Problem arrived at The Strand Magazine a little faster than the original history.