Undergraduate Student Publishes First Novel
When I started writing my first novel, I wasn’t thinking about publication—I was just trying to understand how stories work.
One of the biggest turning points in that process came through my experience with the SOURCE Explore program. For my project, Science Fiction: From Silly to Surreal, I researched how science fiction evolved from early, more simplistic storytelling into something capable of exploring complex psychological, political, and social ideas . What stood out to me most was the shift in the genre from surface-level spectacles to deeper character-driven narratives. It was so uniquely fascinating to learn explicitly how stories used genre as a way to examine real human experiences.
That idea stayed with me.
As I continued developing what would eventually become my novel Ferndale, I found myself applying that same lens. I became less interested in plot for its own sake and more focused on what the story was actually doing—especially how genre elements like horror and mystery could reflect emotional realities like grief, identity, and memory. My honors thesis through the Renee Crown University Honors Program pushed this even further, allowing me to analyze how narrative structure and theme could work together intentionally rather than instinctively.
Syracuse University Libraries’ resources played a huge role in that shift. Access to archives, critical essays, and research databases helped me connect creative instincts to academic ideas. More importantly, the Libraries gave me a space to slow down and take the work seriously. This became so much more than a side project, but as something worth analyzing and refining.
What I learned through both SOURCE Explore and my thesis is that writing isn’t just about wanting to write something—it’s about execution. Early drafts of my novel were unfocused, but through revision, I began to understand how character, theme, and structure could align. In that same way science fiction evolved into a more thoughtful genre, my own writing became more intentional over time.
If I had one piece of advice for other students interested in publishing, it would be this: don’t wait until you feel ready. Start with what interests you, even if it feels incomplete. Then use the resources around you—especially the Libraries—to deepen your understanding of what you’re making. The clarity comes through the process.
Ferndale is a psychological thriller about a college graduate investigating his father’s death and uncovering a hidden cult shaped by grief and belief. But more than anything, it’s the result of learning how to think critically about storytelling—and that started with research.
by Rowel G. Jiménez II '27 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
