Afterword

Wow, where do I even begin?

'Do You Ever Get That Feeling of Déjà Vu?' started as a simple idea in the back of my mind – what if I write a time loop story where the MC has no recollection of his past loops?

Wild thought...Very contradicting to how time loop stories usually go.

But for some reason, I was intrigued by it.

I told my little brother – a web novel enthusiast – about it, and he said (and I quote): "Bro, it's an interesting premise, but I don't think it'll ever work as a full novel. Maybe as a short story..."

It was also going to be my first attempt at writing a LitRPG (which avid readers of the genre could probably tell).

Challenge accepted!

I wrote the prologue (which eventually - after many edits - became the first chapter you see now on RR). Then, I started doubting myself – maybe my brother was right. Too many ideas were clashing, and I was either struggling to turn the premise into an engaging plot or keeping the premise relevant in the plot I did manage to think up.

Eventually, I dropped the idea and focused on other projects.

Then, RR's Writathon came along, and I was like "Fuck it, we ball."

Got COVID on the first week of November, and suddenly had plenty of time to sit down, actually plan this thing out, and build a decent backlog.

Some things changed along the way. Some plot points were abandoned. Some System mechanics were completely forgotten.

But here we are – four months later:

91 chapters (92 including the epilogue).

Around 209K words.

479 followers, 87 favorites, and an average rating of 4.6/5 (at the time of writing this).

A few sleepless nights along the way.

What can I say other than…THANK YOU!

Thanks for following along, for the ratings, for the encouraging or curious comments. I swear nothing gives a writer more dopamine than seeing a reader reacting to something in the latest chapter – you suddenly get the urge to go full "Well, akchually…" XD

Thanks for sticking through the first act. I know it was a bit frustrating, and some characters didn't make sense, but hopefully, now that you've finished the story, you understand the direction I was going for all along – and that you feel the journey was worth your time.

As I said before, some things changed along the way. Like Goren's fate, for example. He was always planned to get killed off, even in my earliest drafts. But as I kept writing, I found myself liking the character more and more – and then you all commented how much you liked him too. Eventually, I felt he deserved a better ending, so he got his second chance by joining Chronos. His death remained, but his final form evolved during the third act's writing because, well…he earned it.

Other changes and forgotten details? I'll keep those to myself XD

(No, but if anyone's curious about something, or maybe if you felt some ideas or plot points were unclear - let me know in the comments)

I will say, though, that I originally planned to utilize the Déjà vu System much more than I actually did. Some elements got introduced so late that I just didn't know how to incorporate them without dragging the story or making it boring. There was also no real reason to, either. I felt the plot was progressing naturally, and the System aspects became less relevant to the overall narrative. Hopefully, you feel the same and don't feel cheated in this regard.

At the end of the day, I consider writing to be the purest form of art, and I would never sabotage my own story for the sake of prolonging it for more followers. I had the story's three-act structure in my head from the start. Some chapters were planned long ago, while very few were improvised along the way. And the core idea and plot always remained the same. I even surprised myself in this regard - for managing to constantly deliver 5 chapters every week since the beginning (outside of one Christmas break) without having to go back and change previous chapters for plot adjustments.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Once again, thank you all for the support!

Let me know your thoughts on the story and the ending in the comments! Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

If you hadn't gave a rating/review yet, I'd appreciate it too. Maybe it'll help the story reach more readers before the sequel comes along.

Wait...

Did someone say sequel?!

What's Next?

1. Do You Ever Get That Feeling of Déjà vu? – Going to Kindle!

I believe this story is good enough to be published, so it will be going to Kindle in the next few months.

If you'd like to support the story, follow along for updates – I'll post an update here and on my Patreon when it goes live.

If you'd like to grab a copy, thank you! If not, that's totally cool too, but I'd greatly appreciate it if you could at least visit the Kindle page once it's out and leave a high rating. That way, it has a better chance of reaching more readers on that platform.

Thank you for all the support!

2. Do You Ever Get That Feeling of Déjà vu? Sequel – A Spinoff is in the Works!

Aidan and Yana's story has been fully told, but there's still much more to explore in this world.

The next story in this universe will be set in a steampunk world (my personal favorite setting). Unlike the original, which was mostly restricted to a single dungeon, this one will take place across an entire city, where the main character relives the time loop and tries to solve a new mystery.

This sequel will also put a much heavier focus on the deities of the universe:

Chronos finally stepping up to deal with Dolos once and for all.

Death questioning her father (Erebus) and whether the endless cycle is a real solution.

Other deities believing Dolos keeps cheating the rules and needs to be dealt with.

Dolos keeps tricking and lying to everyone. Building more and more plans. Now with a dangerous helper of his own...

Gaelith learning how to be a god while seeking revenge on his father.

And one Goren, now in his new job, struggling to handle his new responsibilities, while trying to hunt down his former boss.

I hope that's enough details to intrigue you! If you're excited, follow me here or on Patreon to stay tuned for the continuation of this world's stories!

3. Before the Sequel - A New Isekai Story is out!

I had launched a new story!

It's called "A Weave of Mind: A Tale of Two Brothers", and if you're reading this then....it's already out!!

A Weave of Mind: A Tale of Two Brothers

Twin brothers, Kal and Tristan, were small-time criminals on Earth - until a botched crime got them killed.

After striking a shady deal with a mysterious being named Gartan, they are reborn in the same fantasy world - but with no knowledge that the other was reborn as well.

Kal is reborn as a farmer's son, determined to walk a righteous path this time, for his brother's sake as well as his own. Tristan, however, awakens as the heir to a powerful crime lord, unable to escape the pull of his past.

As they grow from childhood to adulthood in a world of magic, fate, and unseen forces, their separate journeys bring them closer to an inevitable reunion - one neither of them could have imagined.

Will blood prove stronger than the lives they've built?

And just what was Gartan's true purpose in bringing them here?

Inspired by The Kingkiller Chronicles, and Mushoko Tensei.

What to Expect:

- A long, character-driven story following the brothers from childhood to adulthood.

- Five new chapters every week.

- Parallel storytelling - Kal's journey will feel more wholesome, cozy, and slice-of-life. Tristan's path will feel more dangerous, ruthless, filled with intrigue and power struggles.

- A slower-paced beginning (childhood part) to develop the characters, world, and magic system.

This will be a long story following the twins as they grow up from childhood into adulthood, and the mystery of the magical world surrounding them.

The story is already out and I'd appreciate the early support!

Thank you!

Well, that's all! I think…

Thank you once again for all the support! I truly hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'd love for you to continue following me on my journey to becoming a successful author!

Hope to have your support in the future!

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