Jiang Ye immediately tapped the screen on the desk, connecting it to his phone.
In less than a minute, he was connected to the signal of the Literary Smart Bacteria Lab.
Jiang Ye typed on the spot, communicating with the smart bacteria.
"The editors have reviewed the articles you wrote before and said the quality is very high."
The smart bacteria displayed a big smiley face, indicating their happiness.
"However, I hope you can write more commercial novels," Jiang Ye continued typing. "Remove some of the depth and literary quality, and increase the entertainment and readability."
The smiley faces formed by the smart bacteria changed into big question marks.
"That is, write more captivating novels that make readers eager to finish them, wanting to know what happens in the next chapter. Make readers cry, make them laugh. The more addictive, the better," Jiang Ye explained. "This type of novel is more profitable."
The smart bacteria formed text, "We can try. We need to read more commercial novels. Besides this, are there any other specific requirements?"
"The editors are all here with me. Can you try to write a few chapters immediately?" Jiang Ye typed. "This way, they can read them on the spot and offer some requirements and suggestions."
"Then let's write fifty thousand words first," the smart bacteria replied very readily. "Please wait for half an hour."
The editors all gasped.
Fifty thousand words in just half an hour!
What kind of divine speed was this!
It was more than ten times faster than normal authors!
However, the editors soon understood. What was produced in a short time would definitely be rough work, and could not possibly be a masterpiece. They probably just wanted to see the smart bacteria's general ideas and understanding of commercial novels.
The white bacterial colonies floating on the surface of the liquid descended, like a light snow, or like many plankton, quickly covering the keyboard at the bottom of the pool. After a brief period of incubation, the smart bacteria got busy, typing furiously. Even through the thick liquid, the faint groans of the keyboards could be heard.
A large amount of text quickly appeared, so fast it almost left afterimages. The flashing cursor shot downwards like an arrow. The writing speed of the smart bacteria had completely surpassed the reading speed of the humans present, making it look like a downpour of block characters, pouring onto the screen.
While the smart bacteria were busy writing novels, Jiang Ye continued to chat with the consultants.
"If the smart bacteria can write commercial novels well, how much profit will there be?" Jiang Ye asked.
"That's hard to say," Batu Lu replied. "If they write well and update quickly, it will be quite considerable. But if they don't write well, it will be quite meager. The vast majority of commercial novels on the market are ignored online and end up in shredders in reality. More than 98% of new books in the book market each year don't even sell out their first print run of a thousand copies and are all recycled into paper."
"What is the highest profit record for commercial novels now?" Jiang Ye pressed. He was not satisfied with vague answers like 'it could be a lot or it could be very little.'
"The highest-grossing novel in recent years had 190 billion clicks, sold 16 billion physical copies, and adapted into a large number of TV dramas, movies, web series, games, variety shows, and so on," Batu Lu said with admiration. "The total value of the book is around 30 billion yuan, and it is still trending upwards as time goes by."
Jiang Ye nodded secretly. Now that sounded more like it!
A profit of thirty billion for one book.
Ten books, three hundred billion. A hundred books, three trillion.
He had full confidence in the smart bacteria's abilities. These things were constantly evolving and learning, and they had a physiological advantage over humans. Given some time, earning a few trillion should not be a problem.
However, building a dedicated Smart Bacteria Literary City just for a few trillion in profit would be like using a cannon to swat a fly.
Perhaps, a slight expansion of the Smart Bacteria Literary Lab would suffice, without the need for grand gestures like the Music City.
He suddenly thought of something else.
"You just said that novels can be adapted into TV dramas and games?" Jiang Ye asked. "What are the respective profits of TV dramas and games?"
"Huge profits," Batu Lu took a deep breath. "TV dramas are already more profitable than books. Video playback has a high unit price, and film and television platforms on various planets buy broadcasting rights at high prices, along with advertising revenue sharing and various sponsorships. As for games, there's no need to even mention them. What we lack the least now are game players. A game can cost several hundred to a thousand yuan, and within a few years of release, with hundreds of millions of users buying it, the money pours in like rain, a deluge."
"A novel is just a feather from a golden goose," an old lady beside him added. "A novel creates a story, builds its reputation, and familiarizes readers with it. Then, adaptations into film and television, games, merchandise, and theme parks are the real money-making harvesting machines. What novels sell to film and television production companies and game developers are merely usage rights, adaptation rights, and naming rights, and they receive very little money."
"The blockbuster novel Batu Lu mentioned earlier, its game adaptation rights were only sold for 2 billion yuan, but the related brain-computer game, after its release, generated 15 billion yuan in profit within a year. There will also be sequels and PC versions, VR versions, game pod versions, mobile versions, and TV versions, with an estimated total profit of around sixty billion yuan," another old man said. "The profit chain for TV dramas is even more exaggerated, reaching about two hundred billion yuan."
Jiang Ye was shocked!
A novel adapted into a game, and the game could earn sixty billion!
A novel adapted into a TV drama could earn two hundred billion!
Compared to this, the money from serialized novels and physical books was laughably pathetic, insignificant!
"Meaning, to maximize profits, we have to adapt games and TV dramas ourselves?" Jiang Ye asked.
"That's the principle, but it's very difficult," Batu Lu shook his head.
"You mean?"
"Game development and film and television production both require teams, a complete game industry and film and television industry, large-scale coordination and personnel, as well as massive production and promotional budgets," Batu Lu said. "It's absolutely impossible with just a few of us."
"Such a heavy burden, such a big undertaking, of course, you can't carry it all by yourselves," Jiang Ye's eyes lit up. "I will establish related companies specifically responsible for these profits."
It seemed that building a literary city was indeed necessary!
Of course, the literary city would not just produce novels. Novels would be the signboard, but the real money-making would come from games and film and television.
Jiang Ye felt that as long as his funds were in place, he recruited troops, and worked hard, he could earn this immense fortune!
"We can try," Feng Zhi Shuang, who had been listening quietly, also said. "I have some acquaintances in the entertainment industry, and they can help make connections."
"If you really decide to do it, I also have some connections," Batu Lu said. "After all, I have many famous writers whose novels have been adapted into games and TV dramas. I am willing to help you run errands, gather intelligence, and recruit talent."
"But there is a prerequisite," Batu Lu suddenly changed his tone.
"The smart bacteria's commercial novels need to have skill and adaptation value, right?" Jiang Ye asked.
Batu Lu nodded heavily.
"Here, they have finished writing. Please take a look, everyone." Jiang Ye clicked on the screen, and a newly sent manuscript appeared, exactly fifty thousand words.