Story Behind the Story: Space Trip

Space Trip has always been something of a joke in my family. But it is a joke I hope to share with everyone for many years. I certainly had a lot of fun writing it, so here are some background details about the first installment of the series.

Genesis

I first imagined writing a humorous science fiction piece after I finished reading Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books. These were the first books that had made me laugh out loud instead of eliciting one of those half-hearted nasal exhalations that sometimes pass for a courtesy laugh. I was so impressed by Adams’ ability to write humour that I thought to myself: Gee, I wish I could do something like that.

Now, I should mention that up until that point, I had always thought writing comedy solely to be consumed in the written form would be very hard. Being a fan of sitcoms and stand-up comedians, I understood the difference between spoken and acted comedy as opposed to comedy written in a book. It’s a whole different dimension.

Writing Space Trip

I had the idea of four friends trying to get from Point A to Point B, only it was never going to be that simple for them. It’s your classic road trip-style story, and that was where I got the title for the project. Space Trip was just that: a road trip in space.

The project started many years ago, I think around 2012 or 2013. It was something I was writing concurrently alongside Red Dagger, my first novel (a space opera which I haven’t touched since writing the first draft). Whenever I felt like a change of pace or I needed a break from the deep and serious stuff in Red Dagger, I turned to Space Trip. There was a gap of a few years when I didn’t touch it at all—this is what I like to call the Dark Years when I was dealing with some personal stuff and didn’t feel like creating comedy. When I finally returned to Space Trip, I blitzed the story and felt quite proud of myself.

Writing Space Trip had its pros and cons. On the one hand, it was hard to maintain the humour throughout the story because I was used to writing serious plots. However, all of my beta readers enjoyed the earlier drafts, which tells me that my hard work paid off. On the other hand, I had a ball of a time writing it—I felt so good writing about all the stupid things my characters got up to.

About halfway through writing the first draft, I realised the story didn’t have enough scope to turn it into a full length novel between 90,000 and 100,000 words like I wanted. This annoyed me a little bit, but after thinking about it, I decided a shorter story would be just as good. Besides, I think it works better to have a lighthearted story told in a shorter format.

Publishing Attempts

Space Trip initially came out at 33,000 words—that’s a novella. It was the first novella I ever wrote. I finished it in time to submit to a science fiction and fantasy call for novella submissions at Tor.com, though I never heard back from them (I put it down to me being number 500-something in the queue when I submitted). Nevertheless, that didn’t deter me. I half-heartedly tried a few other options, but again to no avail. Rejection letters are a fact of life for a writer, so I was glad I prepared myself for this.

Generally, a novella is anything between 17,500 words and 40,000 words. I figured if Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide novels were all quite short for humorous science fiction, then I could turn Space Trip into a short novel, too. It only meant writing at least another 7,000 words to nudge it over the 40,000-mark. This is one area where my family really helped.

Family Input

I give a lot of credit to my family when it comes to the humorous things in Space Trip. Many of the jokes and situations the characters experience are a product of banter I have with family members or the way my mind responds to things I see and hear. I’ve lost count of the number of times we cracked up laughing and someone told me loudly and with urgency: “Put that in Space Trip! Quick, write it down!” I kept notes on my phone with all the funny things I hear and think of for future use in the Space Trip universe.

But a special credit goes to my brother for a discussion about the ending. When he read my ending, he didn’t feel quite satisfied with it. I understood what he meant, because I felt the same. So he suggested changing the ending. I liked his idea, but was initially reluctant to use it. So, I stored it in my notes for the future.

Ultimately, I didn’t go with his choice of ending, opting instead for something else that had been dancing around my mind. However, discussing it with him gave me plenty of food for thought. Voicing concerns and encouraging feedback was a great way for me to solve a problem. Therefore, the ending I chose for Space Trip felt right for each character, and set the world up for future books if I ever chose to return that universe.

A Big Decision

Shortly after expanding the book and writing the new ending, I made a life-changing decision. I realised that the reason why I was so half-hearted about submitting the manuscript was because I didn’t want to let go of my “baby”. It’s cliché, and maybe even a little silly, but it’s true. I had spent years writing Space Trip. It brought me joy during a dark time in my life, and I felt like the main characters were, at the same time, good friends and extensions of my own personality. Because I felt so close to the story, I wanted to nurture it in my own way. So, I decided to self-publish it.

Other reasons why I chose to self-publish Space Trip include:

It is harder to traditionally publish short novels.
It is harder to traditionally publish humorous fiction.
Self-publishing is no longer derided as an act of vanity or an indication of failure in the traditional system.
A self-published author has nearly total control over their publishing schedule and their earning potential.
The traditional publishing system is out-of-date and slowly dying.

Space Trip Cover Art

A self-published book still needs cover art, and I wasn’t going to compromise on quality. The artwork needed to be eye-catching.

I did a thorough Google search and eventually found one in the UK named Tom Edwards. His portfolio was spectacular, so I reached out to him and eventually signed him on to do the job. Working with Tom was a delight, and I promised myself that I would work with him again. If I had done a little more research, I would have realised just how lucky I was. Tom is actually one of the most popular freelance science fiction and fantasy cover artists in the UK. Odds are that you have seen his work on many other books.

I also asked Tom to create character art for Dave, Jimmy, Chuck, and Eddie to help me visualise my characters. Again, he outdid himself and captured each of the nuances of their personalities.

Editing Space Trip

It is vital that a self-published book receives the insightful touch of an editor. I worked with Abigail Nathan of Bothersome Words to copyedit my manuscript. The service was helpful, timely, affordable, and professional. Bezariah Editing and Proofreading is now my go-to freelance editing service.

Publication

Space Trip was published on 1 July 2022, around 10 years after I began writing it. At that time, COVID still rocked the world. Industry-wise, book distribution had taken a hit, paper stock was running low, and the cost of printing was more expensive. Nevertheless, I released Space Trip in print and ebook formats and it is now available in thousands of online stores worldwide. You can visit some of those stores via the “Purchase” button below.

PURCHASE

The Space Trip Universe

Space Trip started as a standalone story, a personal challenge to write something funny. When I finished it, I realised there were many more hilarious adventures that awaited Dave, Jimmy, Chuck, and Eddie. I have already written and published Space Trip II. You can learn more about it on this website or check out some retailer links via the “Purchase” button below.

PURCHASE

I have several sequels planned in this universe, and I am already writing Space Trip III. I hope these stories spread laughter and warmth among my readers.