Tabi ni Deyou:Afterword
I wrote this book one month before the deadline of the Dengeki Novel Prize.
I had almost completely given up my hope because I had come to a dead end in the novel I had been writing since a year in every detail.
The remarks of my friends, such as "Oh, there's only one month left until the deadline," or "I'll be baffled if you manage in time starting now," were what got me writing.
And because I had no time, I just started noting down a prologue without setting any story elements, without setting any names, just placing a hero and a heroine, and that's when I stroke on the idea of writing a light novel without any proper nouns. In a way you could say that this novel was born by that close deadline.
"How would you spend today if you knew you would die tomorrow?"
We come across this question from time to time. But how about this:
"What would you do if you could leave nothing behind after dying?"
That was kind of the start point of this novel.
A boy and a girl go on a journey to find the answer. However, they aren't trying to find the answer somewhere on the way, but to find out through making the experience of traveling. That's what I consider is the way they have chosen.
I still remember the day I submitted this novel. I wasn't aiming for a prize (only in my fancies), not 1‰. Honestly though, I remember that I thought my story might make it about to the second round.
I had not taken part in any contest like the Dengeki Novel Prize before anyway, and didn't know how my skill compared to the others. I actually thought it was some sort of nuisance phone call when I was told that I made it to the final selection.
Anyway, I was able to publish this novel only thanks to my friends who helped me spice up the text, the editorial team who supported this slow-witted writer and everyone who rooted for me. The number of directions I cannot stretch my legs out in at night has grown quite a bit during this year.
By the way, I am still searching for the answer of my aforementioned question myself. As I love making things, I really don't want to suffer from the 'vanishing'. I give it my all not to come to the conclusion of "idling away while giving myself to my desires".
Well, it's time to say goodbye.
I hope that my poor writing skills have served you to kill some time.
- Tadahito Yorozuya
