Grimgal of Ashes and Illusion - Volume 12 - Chapter Aft

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Afterword

How was it? Volume 12 of Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash?

As announced in advance, I think it was cheery, fun, fluffy adventure story.

This doesn’t only apply to Grimgar, but when writing novels, it is common for me to not decide on the minute details of what is going to happen, who is going to do what, and why in advance. It’s only common; there are also times when I plan everything out in detail before I start writing. However, when I do that, it tends not to go well. I can make progress writing, but I can’t get in the mood, and I have to come up with various ways to make writing fun.

You can write novels however you like, and I love them for that freedom, but I have just one rule that I follow.

I want, more than anything, for people to enjoy the novels that I write. If I’m not having fun writing a novel, it’s probably boring, so I try to enjoy writing. I won’t let a manuscript I didn’t enjoy writing out into the world.

If I feel like, This is no fun, I decide to stop writing at that point.

There are times I don’t realize it while writing, or I notice I’ve been lying to myself that it’s fun, or I’m under time pressure and forget to have fun as I write. If I reread it and think, Yeah, I wasn’t having fun here, I immediately throw it out.

When I go, This happens, then this, and it turns out like this, deciding all the details before I write, I’m often unable to have fun.

Still, that said, if I don’t decide on anything, I have no idea where the story is headed, and I can’t even get started writing.

The point at which I’ve planned enough and can figure out the rest is something that I’ve more or less learned from experience.

However, when something occurs to me, I try testing to see whether I should decide more in advance. Can I assemble a more complex story? Or if I reduce the number of things I decide in advance by one or two, what will happen?

For volume 12, I chose the key points of the first half in advance, or the first third of the story, and then left the rest to the flow of things.

What will I do next time? I have a number of ideas. Which will I choose? I’m looking forward to finding out.

To my editor, Harada-san, to Eiri Shirai-san, to the designers of KOMEWORKS among others, to everyone involved in production and sales of this book, and finally to all of you people now holding this book, I offer my heartfelt appreciation and all of my love. Now, I lay down my pen for today.