Black Bullet - Volume 5 - Chapter Aft

AFTERWORD

To a writer, the plot is something like the blueprint of a story, something they use as a springboard to weave the entire tale together.

In my case, I start by saying to myself, “I want to do this kind of scene!” then backtrack in my mind in order to figure out how “this kind of scene” would ever happen. It’s called the inductive method. The opposite, where you start at the beginning and go on to the conclusion, is called the deductive method, and I could never use it very well. Whenever I try to write deductively, my hands just freeze. It reflects my deficiencies as an author, of course, but it has its advantages as well—the inductive method is a pretty logical approach, and getting it right allows you to write consistent, logical stories.

On the other hand, once your story setting grows complicated enough, going on induction means a nearly infinite number of things have to be decided upon early, usually causing my mind to overflow. (In my case, I have a thing about making my text as easy-to-read and visually engaging as possible as well, which doesn’t do much to improve my writing speed either.)

With this volume, I knew I’d be having trouble ever since I tossed the plot I had spent considerable time working on into the trash after just such an overflow. Still, I had no idea I’d take up this much time for it.

It was a difficult birth to be sure, but still, we finally managed to get it out to the public. Sorry to make all of you wait. As long as my readers enjoy it, there’d be nothing in the world that’d please me more.

My thanks go out, as always, to my editor Kurosaki, a deeply well-educated person who apparently even wrote about opera in the past. They also go to Saki Ukai, a person who does nothing but smile stiffly whenever people say “I thought you were a guy” at autograph sessions (multiple times at one!), as well as everyone in the editorial department involved with this book. I appreciate it.

Finally, one more note to readers: Shiden Kanzaki, a detestable author who trolls his readership with promises of boobs and Lolita innuendo then blasts them in the eyes with decapitated heads and oozing guts with every page—a marketing approach unlike anything seen before—is getting even more detestable going forward. I think I’ll get the next volume out faster, anyway. Check out Dengeki Bunko’s webpage or my Twitter account for publication details—that way, you’ll be sure you’ll know about it first.

Thank you again for reaching out and picking up this volume. May God shower His blessings upon everyone who reads my work.

Shiden Kanzaki