Jason Powell’s debut novel, No Man’s Ghost, burns from the inside out. It’s full of the drama and pressure of a high stakes job with a refreshingly tender emotional story at its heart. Set in the engine houses and alleyways of New York City, the story follows Charles Davids, a rookie firefighter with trembling hands and a heart full of doubt. As Charles wrestles with impostor syndrome and the chaos of city fires, he also must navigate the unspoken brotherhood that shapes the job. Beneath the gear and grit, this is a story about becoming the person others believe you already are.

Jason Powell answered my questions about research, writing habits, and the process of crafting a story where the bravest man in the room might also be the most afraid.

You didn’t just research firefighting—you lived it. Can you talk about how your career shaped the novel?

What I did was: I quit my job as an inventory manager at a pharmacy and became a New York City firefighter. Seriously. I’m mostly kidding about the motivation, but honestly, after seeing the first released documentary on 9/11, I developed so much respect for firefighters that I knew I did a lot of research on the job and how to join. My writer’s brain held on to all of that. Then, after I got on the job, new stories presented themselves to me. It’s been great. Two great careers.

No Man’s Ghost is so deeply rooted in the city’s texture—its pace, its voices, its subway frustrations. What does New York bring to this story that no other setting could?

Firefighting in New York City is unlike firefighting anywhere else in the world, except maybe Tokyo. The people and buildings and traffic make it an interesting challenge. The fact that firefighters are out and about so much makes us part of the NYC background, and locals aren’t often impressed with the lights and sirens. The main character in No Man’s Ghost is a rookie firefighter who is battling a lack of confidence. Figuring out how to do his job while navigating the unique obstacles of the city made his story interesting to witness. There’s a scene in the subway where the antagonist has an annoying experience that I enjoyed writing because every New Yorker has experienced. I liked the idea of having readers empathize with the bad guy.

Charles is emotionally complex—hesitant, hopeful, insecure in ways that feel painfully real. How did you build his internal arc?

What I wanted to do was have Charles battle a season of impostor syndrome, even if he didn’t have a name for it. Everyone, or at least most people, deals with that. I have and still do. I get through it by talking to myself and reminding myself of where I am compared to where I was. Charles does the same thing. I get over it when I get praise and compliments and acknowledged for the things I wasn’t confident about. So does Charles. So do most people. I approached it by putting myself and the reader in his shoes, and seeing where and how we walk.

The camaraderie between firefighters feels like the novel’s emotional anchor. How did you go about writing those relationships?

Camaraderie is the major difference between Charles and the protagonist, Alan. Charles struggles with his confidence, but is surrounded by people who lift him up and encourage him. Alan struggles with his confidence and has no one. I explore the lives of the other firefighters because I want to show why they are so willing and inclined to be of support to Charles. Everyone fights battles that no one else knows about. But they don’t have to fight alone. The firefighters may not know all of Charles’s struggles, but they want him to know that he won’t face them alone.

Let’s talk process. How do you approach structuring a story like this? Do you outline, or just dive in?

I do both. I know what the story is and I start to write it without an outline. I can’t skip chapters or scenes or skip to the end or anything like that. Even if I know what will come later, I can’t write it until I get to it chronologically. But I often discover what will come later as I write, so I start to make note of it so I won’t forget it. Once I have four or more notes, I start organizing them into what order they will appear in the story. By the midway point, I have the rest of the story outlined in notes. It’s not the most efficient but it works. It’s a fun process.

Every writer knows the pain of a deleted favorite. Was there anything you had to cut that were difficult?

There was! In fact, the entire first chapter that I wrote and sent to my agent when I was querying her is gone. Even though she loved it, she pointed out that it gave too much away. She was right of course, but I was sad to get rid of it, because I loved it too. Nevertheless, I really enjoy the new first chapter too. I think it does everything it’s supposed to, without giving away anything it shouldn’t.

No Man’s Ghost is out today and you can find information at authorjasonpowell.com. This novel about vulnerability, identity, and how quiet encouragement has lessons for every profession. The story moves between action and introspection, demonstrating what it takes to face psychological pressure and physical demands.