ABOUT ME

Ben Vic

My parents fled the Yugoslavian war in the late 90s to Canada, where I was born in 98’. We moved to Germany when I was 10. I've lived between worlds ever since—never quite belonging to one place. Maybe that's why I've always been drawn to stories about worlds you can actually inhabit, worlds where you could belong.

I've always loved getting lost in stories. Berserk, Princess Mononoke, Avatar the Last Airbender, Attack on Titan… legends that you remember for the rest of your life, with worlds so intricate you'd move there if you could, and characters you'd die for.

I was always drawn to creating—writing short stories, learning piano and violin, and eventually exploring filmmaking. But having lived through harsh times, my parents valued stability and safety above all else, so I followed my father’s path instead. I studied engineering and later earned a Master’s degree in robotics. Five years on, I found myself working full time at an enterprise in Frankfurt, Germany. All those years, I always had my stories quietly waiting in the back of my mind. The desire to build a world of my own never left me, but I kept holding out for the perfect moment, a point in my life when I would finally feel safe enough to begin.

But then I realized that there is no better moment than now.

It dawned on me that my engineering background gives me the tools to build intricate, believable worlds. I used my knowledge of systems and mechanics, sprinkled with a healthy amount of pseudoscience, to create universes that feel grounded and immersive—even when they're anything but realistic. My parents' years of pushing me toward education paid off in ways they probably didn't expect.

Today, I live in my apartment near Frankfurt with my beautiful wife and cat, writing stories with all the elements and ingredients I believe in. Stories that hook you and make you wish for more.

I got lucky to stumble onto these worlds. Luckier still to share them with you. But I think it a disservice to pretend this was always the plan, or that I always knew I'd be a writer. I didn't. I almost wasn't.

For those that need to hear it: If you're sitting on a dream because someone told you it was impractical, because you're afraid, because it feels safer to stay small—I'm here to tell you that there’s a version of you in some parallel worldline (Steins;Gate fans know what I’m talking about…) that has already achieved it, and that you just need to be willing to reach for it.

See you in the next one.

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