Webnovel Author: Arkinslize - Novel Collection

Thank you for your review. I admit I'm struggling to grasp exactly what you're getting at and what you're criticizing about my novel, especially after over 1,000 chapters. No character growth? Maybe I'm biased as the author, but seriously? Are we even reading the same story? Most reviews and discussions on Discord suggest his transformation is quite drastic on every level. Traits you might not like, such as his cynicism or pettiness, are part of his character. They're not going away. If you're referring to his romantic relationship/s, they develop slowly, but romance was never the main focus. There are plenty of other web novels out there that might better cater to that interest. You also mentioned that it often feels like the antagonists are smarter than the hero, as if he's always one step behind, merely reacting. But that's intentional. The four lost years you mentioned couldn't have been anticipated unless he became completely paranoid and refused to leave his home. I'm always amazed by how some readers dislike any situation where the main character faces challenges, whether it's betrayal, unexpected twists, or even legitimate defeats. I recently read "Shadow Slave" (the site's top pick, right?) and it receives similar criticisms, yet I loved it. As for your comparison to "Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse", that comparison speaks volumes about your preferences. They're vastly different stories with differing metrics. I can tell you're not a webnovel writer, because if you were, you'd understand that many factors beyond quality influence views and profitability. First and foremost: release rate. I have a full-time job in the real world. Writing is just a hobby. Yes, it's paid, but it's supplementary income. I live in an expensive country, and the income from TOP would barely sustain me above the minimum wage, which is a no-go. So, as it doesn't earn enough to live on, I can't leave my actual job. Once readers (many of whom use pirate sites) understand this, fewer authors will abandon their stories. We're neither slaves nor volunteers. Regarding "Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse", in terms of regular privilege readers (those truly committed to supporting us financially), we're similar, with 300-500 privilege readers monthly. But with my lower release rate (6-7 chapters per week vs. 14+), I make fewer daily subscriptions. So, I earn less (around 30-50% less due to this factor alone), which drops my rankings in Trending, Power, and Golden Ticket (since a reader has to spend 500 coins to earn a golden ticket). This results in lower visibility and credibility, but also, I rarely participate in the Win Win Event (since I don't always publish 1,500 words a day, I'm disqualified). This is the only guaranteed way to get featured spots like banners. That's significant visibility I'm missing. Lastly, the first few chapters are crucial in grabbing reader attention, and I admit the first volume needs work for various reasons.