By Paul Ponce
So recently I published my first novel, A.I. Capone. Pulled it off in seven months. And let me tell you, writing a tech thriller isn’t just about writing—it’s project management on steroids.
Sure, I had storytelling and production management skills going in—from my television days. What started out as a short story evolved into what for me became next level. I had to structure a 35K-word beast, juggle character arcs, fine-tune realistic dialogue, choreograph action scenes, and weave in research on quantum computing, hacking, espionage, and more—all while keeping my self-imposed deadlines tight.
But rest assured it wasn’t smooth sailing. Some scenes went nowhere. Dialogue felt clunky. The quantum physics got so complex I thought I’d need a PhD (like my protagonist) to explain it. At times, the plot turned into a maze I couldn’t escape. More than once, I wondered if I’d written myself into a corner with no way out—much like my previous attempt at writing a novel, which is still on the shelf.
Luckily, I had my trusted team—my wife and daughter—who acted as my sounding board. Their insights, feedback, and occasional "just cut that scene already" advice kept me from drowning in my own narrative. When I felt stuck, they helped me see the bigger picture and push forward.
In terms of management, I ran it like many of my students from the tech industry run their projects: Agile methodology, sprints, and Notion as my command center.
Sprint Planning: I mapped out story beats, character development, and key themes—just like planning feature releases.
Daily Standups (mostly with myself but sometimes with the ladies): What’s the next scene? What’s blocking progress? Is this subplot a feature creep?
Iteration & Feedback: Trusted readers = beta testers. Their input helped refine pacing, tone, and clarity.
Research & Development: Quantum computing, special ops tactics, underground networks—because authenticity matters.
Design & Branding: Worked with a graphic designer to create an eye-catching cover that screams tech thriller.
QA Testing: Multiple revision cycles. A buggy book = bad user experience.
The result? A book that, regardless of whether tech thrillers are your cup of tea, doesn’t just tell a story—it moves like a well-oiled machine. Writing A.I. Capone wasn’t just creative—it was my own self-imposed masterclass in execution, iteration, and delivering a high-stakes project on time. And that project I had shelved—well, it might get a second chance. This time from a guy that knows what the hell he's doing.
So yeah, novel writing = elite-level project management. Any PMs out there up for the challenge?
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