What It’s Like to Publish Your First Novel at 50 (And How I Built a Trilogy from the Ground Up)

If you had told ten-year-old me, staring wide-eyed at Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, that one day I’d write a sci-fi novel of my own, I probably would’ve believed you. After all, that kid had a big imagination, a long bus ride to school every day, and a growing love for everything that explored the stars.

But if you’d told me, it would take forty years to finish that book? That it wouldn’t be until I turned 50 that I’d finally hit publish? That part would’ve surprised me.

And yet… here we are.

From Dreamer to Author

Publishing Galaxy’s Child has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. Not because it was easy, it wasn’t, or fast, definitely not, but because it was honest. The story grew with me, through different chapters of life, through doubt and rediscovery, and finally through the discipline of sitting down, editing, rewriting, and getting the job done.

It’s proof that dreams don’t have expiry dates.

Building a Trilogy from the Ground Up

Galaxy’s Child is just the beginning. From the start, I knew this story wasn’t meant to be a one-off adventure, I quickly realized that it had to be a trilogy. But I didn’t want to wing it as I went. I wanted the whole structure in place before I committed to the first book.

Here’s how I approached it:

Big Picture First

I started with the core arc. A hero’s journey that spans space, time, and moral challenges. I asked myself, where does this character start, and what will it take for him to become the person the galaxy needs him to be?

Anchor Points

Each book has a key moment, a turning point that changes everything. Book One introduces the technology, the threat, and the cost. Book Two, which I’m developing now, lays the foundation for the ultimate conflict. Book Three brings it all together for a final, climactic reckoning.

Characters Before Tech

Even in a sci-fi story, it’s the people who matter most. Philip Anders, Ava, Dany, Mike, these characters lived in my head for decades. The science serves the story, not the other way around.

Planning Meets Discovery

Yes, I outline obsessively, but I always leave room for surprise. Some of my favorite moments came from asking “What if?” halfway through a scene and following where it led.

Why Now Was the Right Time

Looking back, I understand why it took so long. I wasn’t ready to tell this story when I was younger. I needed to live, to work, to fail, and to learn. I needed to understand what loss felt like. What hope really meant. What it takes to lead when you’re unsure of yourself. Publishing at 50 didn’t feel like a delay, it felt like the right moment.

So, if you’ve got a story buried deep inside you, don’t wait for permission. Don’t worry if the timing isn’t perfect. Just start. It might take you a year. Or forty. But it will be worth it. Want to know more about how I structured the trilogy, created my characters, or planned the faster-than-light tech? Drop a comment or send me a question, I’d love to dig deeper in a future post.