A Few Words From The Author: How-To

Hi, everyone!

Writing this took far longer than I expected, and finding the courage to share it with the world was an even bigger challenge. It took countless hours piecing together a coherent story, weaving together the plot, worldbuilding, and developing characters in a way that made sense—especially because it revolves around time travel, a concept that can quickly become quite convoluted as the story progresses.

My passion is creating characters and their stories, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Among the hundreds of stories I've thought of over the years, this is the one I decided to publish first. (I have many more I'd love to share with you in the future!)

How did it all begin, you might ask?

Actually, with a simple idea: What if I created a Lovecraftian-inspired world that was too far gone—a world that was utterly destroyed?

I wanted to craft a nihilistic setting where the characters struggled against a grave threat—one far greater than they could handle alone. A world where their very existence was at stake. I wanted to emphasize their hopeless situation and pointless struggles against forces beyond their might.

The only way they could save themselves from this mess was to turn back time and eliminate the root of it before the catastrophe struck.

The Fascination with Time Travel & Cosmic Horror:

The concept of time travel is always very fascinating to play with. Whether it's to the past or the future, the idea of witnessing a world in a state I've never seen with my own eyes has always piqued my interest and fueled my imagination. The thought of how one's actions in the past could lead to countless different outcomes, how the butterfly effect of these slight changes might overwrite history, and how the said history might differ from the original excites me as a writer. Time travel offers endless possibilities for creative storytelling.

Additionally, I've always loved eldritch horror stories—the unexplainable, the grotesque, the indescribable. The kind of horror that transcends human understanding and leaves you questioning reality. Lovecraftian concepts embrace the fear of the unknown, the psychological terror, and the powerlessness and insignificance of humanity in the face of cosmic danger—able to create tension without relying on cheap jumpscares.

For me, it's more than just another scary story; it's a way to explore the limitless depths of creativity.

It's exactly what I always wanted to write about and hope to achieve the desired effect.

So, I thought—why not mix time travel, horror, and anime-style action into one story? These are three of my favorite things, and this is my attempt at bringing them together.

Research & Writing Process:

To bring this world to life, I buried myself in research for months, thoroughly studying H.P. Lovecraft's works. Whether it was early mornings, late nights, or long flights between countries, I was constantly reading—on my phone, my computer, or in paperback—marking important details in my notebook and, page-by-page, piling up ideas and developing 'arcs' for the story's eldritch creatures.

There had been over a hundred stories I have skimmed through, and many more marked to read. Yet, even with the amount of research I still have to do, my motivation has not diminished. My notes are filled with references, citations, and passages from Lovecraft's era, forming the foundation of this world.

Beyond reading, I often spent time sketching monsters and character concepts, either on my tablet or with a pencil on a scrap of paper (although I do it rarely nowadays).

The writing process itself took over a year, filled with rewrites, self-doubt, and writer's block. While moments of inspiration kept me going, the part I struggled with the most wasn't the writing itself—it was the cover. I know I could make one with AI, but that wouldn't feel like it's mine. No AI could ever replicate exactly what I have in mind.

So, under a tight deadline (I planned to enter the contest last year), finishing the artwork was the biggest challenge. But this time, I finally completed it.

Of course, I want to clarify that everything I'm referencing is in the public domain and anyone can access it. I will provide references to the works whenever I use them in the story—so if you're interested, I recommend giving them a read. But, the artwork, the character designs, and the story itself are entirely my own creations.

That is how Reverse The World came to be.

Chapter Releases & Hiatus Notices:

As for the chapter releases, I plan to update them once every week. However, whenever I'm working on major arcs, I may take extra time between the updates to figure out the story's flow and structure before I post its chapters regularly. Quality over quantity is my priority. So, if a short hiatus takes place, please be patient—that means something big is upcoming.

If I ever need to take an extended break from writing, I'll announce it in the latest chapter before the hiatus begins.

A Quick Disclaimer:

Since there might be some misunderstandings, I'd like to make this clear:

1. This is a work of fiction. Any names, places, or scientific explanations mentioned in this story are purely the product of my imagination and have no connection to real-world events, people, or science. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or real-life events is purely coincidental. Do not attempt any scientific experiments described in this story at home.

2. This story contains graphic descriptions since the source material I take inspiration from is full of body horror and cosmic horror, so viewer's discretion is advised.

And, of course, please be respectful.

Gratitude & Final Thanks:

Last but not least, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family and friends for supporting me through every step of this journey. Your motivation, encouragement, and belief in me kept me going. Your excitement for this story's release gave me the strength to push through the hardest moments of the writing process. Thank you for always being there—I couldn't have done this without you.

A special thank you to my closest friend (you're the best, Tasu!), who has been there for me every step of the way. Whether it was listening to my endless ideas, giving me honest feedback, or simply reminding me to take breaks, your support meant everything to me, even when I doubted myself (which happened very often, I know). I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been to proofread my sweaty paragraphs for the Nth time in a span of a single week.

And finally—thank you, dear reader. I'm truly honored that you picked up my story and took the time to read it. I would love to hear your thoughts as the story progresses!

With all my battles against self-doubt and perfectionism, I, quite literally, had to be kicked into action to share this story with you.

With all that said, I hope you enjoy this adventure!

—Gin-chan (a.k.a Ginshou)