Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard-Chapter 820 - 487: Light Novel Newcomer Award and Twitter

Chapter 820: Chapter 487: Light Novel Newcomer Award and Twitter

Uesugi Sakura wasn’t too sure how he got the title of an ancient, primitive species, but since he was told to use Twitter, he dug out an old Twitter account he used to like Hanabi’s posts from his phone notes.

"Here it is."

He copied the account and password, but when he tried to log in, he found out that the account was frozen, supposedly for making malicious comments on some xx account.

Uesugi Sakura looked more closely at the name, Teacher Hanamaru, and thought isn’t this Hanabi’s account?

Why would my account get banned for giving my wife positive reviews?

Was it really that much to comment 50 times on each of her posts before?

"Did you get your account back, Uesugi?" Kobashi Rikai asked from the side.

"Hold on," Uesugi Sakura said while operating his phone, "my account got frozen, I’m applying to unfreeze it."

"I see."

"Done." Uesugi Sakura submitted the completed form, and a yellow message appeared in the middle of the screen, saying "Awaiting Appeal."

"Is it all set?"

"No, still waiting for review. Let’s add each other later, I need to reply to a message." Uesugi Sakura suddenly noticed that Editor Morisaki had sent him a message, which popped up at the top of the phone screen.

"Okay." Kobashi Rikai nodded while holding her phone, which had a pink bunny phone case, looking quite girly. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Uesugi Sakura tapped on the message popup at the top of his phone.

Morisaki Taiichi: [Uesugi-san, the illustrator you found...]

Illustration... is there a problem?

No way.

Before sending it, Uesugi Sakura had carefully checked it, and the character and action details in the illustration were all perfect.

Not only did he check, but to make sure the characters were properly established, Hanamaru Hanabi also studied the clothing, behavior, and actions of the characters in the book...

For example, the heroine Hanabi Chiwa is a high school girl who likes wearing energetic and lively clothes.

While the male lead Akizuki Katsuyama is a mature uncle who usually dresses sloppily, wearing whatever happens to be around.

Could it be that Editor Morisaki thinks the illustration doesn’t match the original text?

Uesugi Sakura typed on his screen: [Actually, my wife drew this... is there a problem?]

Morisaki Taiichi: [Uesugi-san... you’re married?! If I remember correctly, you’re still a student at Tokyo University, right?]

Uesugi Sakura: [Yeah, that’s the situation... but let’s not talk about me... is there a problem with the illustration? If there’s anything wrong, I can have her adjust it.]

Morisaki Taiichi seemed more confused: [Is there a problem with the illustration?]

This message bubble popped up on his phone screen.

Looking at it, Uesugi Sakura realized he had misunderstood.

Morisaki Taiichi: [All in all, the quality of the illustration far exceeds my expectations, it’s worthy of being used on a hardcover collector’s edition cover, it has commercial appeal, I assumed you enlisted a friend or classmate to do it—but I’m not saying that’s bad, it’s just that I’ve often seen decent light novels become axed due to favors in the past.]

Uesugi Sakura understood.

Editor Morisaki is basically saying that many newcomers create light novels by getting their friends who can illustrate to join in.

Collaborating as friends sounds nice, but it’s often a bit naive.

Besides drawing skills, light novel illustrations also need commercial appeal.

As for what commercial appeal is in illustration...

In Uesugi Sakura’s understanding, it’s about an illustration having eye-catching features, like an appealing art style, a charming heroine, attractive hair texture, background, clothing, beautiful legs, and so on...

It needs that kind of effect that makes you want to go back and look at it again at first glance.

After making another cup of coffee for a customer, Uesugi Sakura picked up his phone again.

(5 minutes ago) Morisaki Taiichi: [Uesugi-san, are you aware of the Newcomer’s Award for light novels?]

(1 minute ago) Morisaki Taiichi: [Uesugi-san? Are you there?]

Kobashi Rikai was on the other side busy making a cappuccino, she was somewhat inexperienced with the water-steaming step, and still needed Uesugi Sakura’s supervision.

"Sorry to trouble you, Uesugi," Kobashi Rikai slightly bowed her upper body to him, as a bow.

"Don’t worry about it."

Returning his gaze to the phone, Uesugi Sakura typed a reply: [Sorry... I was working part-time just now, about the Newcomer’s Award for light novels... I’m not too clear on it, but I know it exists.]

It wasn’t long before...

Editor Morisaki replied to him.

[That’s fine. As for the Newcomer’s Award, I can briefly explain it to you, sensei.

[It’s a light novel newcomer award organized by the mf under our publishing company, held every three months, four awards a year, the Grand Prize winner can receive an official award plaque and a supplementary prize equivalent to 1 million yen, the Excellence Prize is 500,000 yen, and Honorable Mention is 100,000 yen.

[For every submitted work, we have an internal review process with three rounds, not all works passing three reviews will win, but they all have the opportunity to come to our headquarters for a face-to-face meeting with editors... Currently, your work is under re-review in our light novel department, based on my information, it’s at least a Honorable Mention level and can be published.

[Your main competitors, sensei, are three works: "My Little Sister is the World’s Strongest Dominator," "Love Game Tastes Like Mint," "The Girl Who Calls Me Ancestor is My Ancestor?!"]

[I briefly looked at the other three works, Uesugi-san, you have a good chance, and try aiming for the Grand Prize; the reviewers in the light novel department are also inclined towards light novels that aren’t too typical of light novels.

[But, for specific news, we’ll have to wait until early December, by December 10th at the latest to be clear.