Writing your first novel
I’ve worked on many stories over the last few decades and even made a career out of it. As an animator, I’ve had the opportunity to work on short films, movies, web series, PC games, and even virtual reality projects, both for other companies and for some of my own.
I always have side projects: short films and animations. I go a little nuts if I don’t have a creative outlet of some kind outside of my day job. When my daughter was born, I knew I wouldn’t have time for my usual projects, so I decided to write a novel.
I know that sounds idiotic, but hear me out! Animation is slooooow. I figured that taking an Atomic Habits approach to writing a novel might actually amount to something. Some days I’d write a few hundred words; other days, I’d write a single sentence. But miracle of miracles, by the time my daughter was a year old, I had a first draft of almost 400 pages written.
Sol’s Ladder
So, mission accomplished, right? It turns out the first draft is the easy part. The second draft took me over a year. Granted, there were a lot of other life events in there, but boy, are rewrites tough. Long story short, three years after starting, my debut science fiction novel, Sol’s Ladder, is up for sale!
Sol’s Ladder is the culmination of many ideas and stories that have collected in my head over the years—stories that were far too big to animate. Drop a comment if you’re thinking about writing your first novel! And if you’re curious about Sol’s Ladder, you can check out the blurb below!
Being the first teen on Mars hasn’t been easy for Zed Marsh, and his attempts to fit in have led him to a mysterious cave that may leave him altered in more ways than one.
Signs of alien life were detected beneath the surface the day Zed arrived on the red planet. Bullied for his youth and desperate to contribute, Zed is given an opportunity to put his art skills and some advanced VR tech to good use in the hunt. When he encounters more than anyone bargained for, life in the colony turns deadly.
A hacked virtual world and an explosive disaster bring Zed’s ever-shrinking circle of friends to the breaking point. To make matters worse, his only chance to regain control of his life lies within the same impossible cavern that started it all. What’s inside will change not only Zed’s future but also alter the course of humanity forever. At least it might, if the colony can survive the forces lurking in the shadows.
The Martian meets Treasure Island in this slow-burn, thrilling adventure. Pick up Sol’s Ladder today and explore the depths of Mars in N. J. Glemboski’s debut novel, the first in a story that spans the solar system.