This is a personal reflection on my journey with Ren Simulator. I initially conceived it as a straightforward novel about simulating powers, but somewhere deep within the "righteous sect" arc, I hit a wall. Emotionally, it just felt wrong. All those Chinese novel clichés flooded back, and I found myself asking: Why? Why should I put myself through that? Why embrace that masochistic path?
Instead of stupidly suffering through it, I decided to break free. There are plenty of stories with overpowered MCs or those with harems. And honestly, at this point, logic doesn't even matter to me that much anymore. As an author, you often strive for perfection, but it simply doesn't exist. That's why we have to appreciate the present moment. If a story fills you with passion and doesn't make you feel masochistic, then it's good. It doesn't matter if others deem it "good" or "bad" by some arbitrary metric. What truly matters is the passion you pour into it and the freedom you find in the process.
This goes beyond just clichés. I poured so much of myself into Ren Simulator that I forgot it was just a story. It's a truly heartbreaking frustration sometimes, realizing how something so precious can feel so distant. Imagine simulating hundreds of thousands of years, meeting someone, falling in love, only to return to your original reality. I've read many simulator novels where the protagonist marries women in the mortal world, only for them to die, and then they're just back to their old life. That's the core of what I'm trying to avoid: I don't want to be a masochist, nor do I want to put my future readers through that pain – if I even reach the coveted 100-chapter mark, which only a few truly achieve.
Ren Simulator is a test for me. I have other stories, but I'm still searching for that genre that truly allows me to unleash my full potential, something people will genuinely love.
Anyway, goodbye to the strangers who click. Until next time.