The Sleuth Project ✓

author's note

/The Sleuth Project/
author's note

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"WRITE UNTIL it becomes as natural as breathing." — Unknown

After a year or so of slow, and I mean slow updates of the edited chapters, natapos na rin sa wakas ang "The Sleuth Project".

Funny enough, the first draft of this story (which only contained fifteen chapters) also took more than a year to write back in 2016 — so despite my sluggishness, I believe I've come a long way as a writer by being able to finish a full-length novel instead of a half-assed one, in only a year.

You see, "The Sleuth Project" has always been special to me. Everyone who knows me would know that I'm an avid fan of mystery novels ever since I was young. This interest has since then blossomed into a dream: a dream to write and someday publish my own mystery novel. "The Sleuth Project" fulfilled that dream of mine. It's the first novel that I've ever written, the first story that made me decide my writing style and footing in the world of creative fiction writing.

It was the book that started it all, the first of many firsts.

I remember being so proud of this work in 2016, especially since it was garnering lots of reads along the way. But after I had finished writing its sequel "The Empire", I realized how badly executed "The Sleuth Project" was. It had potential, but it needed major revisions and tweaks in terms of its character development, antagonists, and the overall plot. Examples of this is how the development of Rein and Ann's friendship felt rushed, Sera didn't have a distinct quality, and Quinn and Queenie felt like characters who were thrown in the last minute. The revelation of the Cortez twins as the primary antagonists also fell short. 

With all these problems that I've identified now as a more older and more experienced writer, I knew that I was going to edit The Sleuth Project eventually. It was a special work of mine, and I wanted to preserve and mold it into its best version. And so here I am. After six years (2016 to 2022 is a long long way), I can say that "The Sleuth Project" is finally and officially finished — way more polished and reader-friendly than its initial 2016 version.

And I can never be more proud.

To everyone who supported this book's editing process, "thank you" isn't enough to suffice. The difficulties I faced in writing and editing this: writer's block, mental health issues, and the difficulty of tracking every miniscule detail to make sure that it was consistent, resulted to lots of hiatuses which I know was frustrating as a reader.

In fact, I probably lost a few sleuth-readers along the way during that period of time where I was experiencing intense anxiety attacks which hindered me from writing. So to all who stayed, and to all who will continue to stay, thank you.

Thank you for trusting me, trusting the process, and for joining the Campus Sleuths' initial journey.

I know a simple general "thank you" isn't enough to express how grateful I am, so allow me to specify each person who had played a significant role in the process of writing this novel.

To Ate purpleyhan and Kuya AkoSiIbarra, no amount of words can articulate how much you have inspired me as a Filipino mystery writer. Please don't ever stop weaving magic with your writing.

To Kuya Cris, the mere act of acknowledging this novel was already more than enough, but you took the liberty to actually comment and vote on this story, and even followed me — which I'll forever be grateful for. Thank you kuya, sending my love and support to you and your works always!