Nick, 24, wrote rainbow sci-fi: ‘Representation matters’

This time in the category of Leiden residents with a special vocation: 24-year-old Nick Korbel. He works as a director and writer. His fifth book was released this month and he published it himself!

Learn young

He is very proud of his new novel external field. Right about that! He not only authored this book himself but also edited and designed it with his girlfriend. He found a Russian illustrator via an online platform and arranged a printer in the UK. Now he is busy with marketing and distribution. “There’s a lot involved,” Nick tells us over the phone. “It’s my second time posting myself, I think it’s so much fun doing it.” By the way, Nick’s writing career doesn’t just come out of the blue. I was making books before I learned to write. Then I made cover graphics and stapled them together. Then my parents wrote scripts to him.”

Four and a half years of work

external domain It is of course a bit different from those homemade crafts. Nick has spent four and a half years writing his latest novel. “It was over long periods, though. I’ve since moved and changed jobs several times, so I haven’t always had the opportunity to write.” However, the idea for his book took root long ago. Whenever I start a new project, I prefer to take the weekend off first. In it, I put the whole plot down on paper in short sentences, that way I have something to hold on to and I don’t forget anything. Of course, things in a story can change over time.” With the help of reviewers, Nick took the editing job into his own hands and via an online platform, found an illustrator who fit his story perfectly. I was looking for a style that fell somewhere between photorealism and animation. Russia, Valeriga Leonova, made exactly what I was looking for. It was a great collaboration, even though we never met physically.

in the space

Where some writers stay close to home, Nick takes a bigger approach. Feel free to say huge: his story takes place in the galaxy. Nick even created some new planets that play a major role in his book. My novel is around the year 3029. Earth was destroyed by a meteorite and humanity fled to other planets. My main character is called Fox, his father is the minister of one of these planets. In an unexpected way, Fox must follow in his father’s footsteps and save three planets from another meteor collision.

Inspiration and research

Not everyday fare, so how does Nick get all this inspiration? “I find space absolutely fascinating, as vast and elusive as it is. I think it’s important that my book remains as reliable as possible and that the factual information in it is correct. That’s why I do so much research in space travel and physics.” Another theme that comes up definitively in Nick’s book is more common. “Two of my characters are bisexual, so bisexuality is a theme in my book. I think it’s important that homosexuality and bisexuality are represented in the stories. I’m also bi myself and would like to contribute to more exposure.”