Ask the Author: Raphael Merriman
Answered Questions (6)
Raphael Merriman
I've already addressed this in a previous question, so I'll talk about the book I'm working on.
Called "The Shadow Over Loch Ness", it's a Lovecraft-inspired horror. Historically, Sir Edward Mountain launched a hunt for the Loch Ness Monster in July 1934, an event lasting five weeks. I've done a lot of reading on this, and wondered what would happen if they found something more sinister.
I decided not to tamper with history (something I've often done) and so created a parallel expedition run privately by the owner of a house on the edge of the loch. The people involved are also trying to find the monster, for their own personal reasons, but find that more sinister something instead. Or as well as. I haven't decided.
Called "The Shadow Over Loch Ness", it's a Lovecraft-inspired horror. Historically, Sir Edward Mountain launched a hunt for the Loch Ness Monster in July 1934, an event lasting five weeks. I've done a lot of reading on this, and wondered what would happen if they found something more sinister.
I decided not to tamper with history (something I've often done) and so created a parallel expedition run privately by the owner of a house on the edge of the loch. The people involved are also trying to find the monster, for their own personal reasons, but find that more sinister something instead. Or as well as. I haven't decided.
Raphael Merriman
I usually don't. I leave it for a while, do something else. I find it hard to read another book while writing, so I tend to have a list of "to read" books.
Sometimes I just leave it and write something else. One of my problems is having several ideas going round at the same time that won't all fit one piece.
I'm working on an alternate history dark fantasy, but it's heavy going, so I've put it away a couple if times to work on other things.
I will finish it though... one day...
Sometimes I just leave it and write something else. One of my problems is having several ideas going round at the same time that won't all fit one piece.
I'm working on an alternate history dark fantasy, but it's heavy going, so I've put it away a couple if times to work on other things.
I will finish it though... one day...
Raphael Merriman
I've written pretty much all my life, but I love the creative process of putting a story down and committing it to something other than my own mind.
Having someone read and appraise it, constructively criticising it, is also exciting, because you're letting someone else share your imagination.
But, honestly, since I've started publishing, I've been excited about people reading my work, people who don't know me, or anything about me, people who rate and review my work. Knowing that someone in America, for example (I'm English), has enjoyed a piece I've written, and given it a good rating and review blows my mind!
And actually holding a physical copy of my own work... I can't even begin to describe that feeling!
Except to say I hope that feeling never goes away, however experienced I might become at publishing.
Having someone read and appraise it, constructively criticising it, is also exciting, because you're letting someone else share your imagination.
But, honestly, since I've started publishing, I've been excited about people reading my work, people who don't know me, or anything about me, people who rate and review my work. Knowing that someone in America, for example (I'm English), has enjoyed a piece I've written, and given it a good rating and review blows my mind!
And actually holding a physical copy of my own work... I can't even begin to describe that feeling!
Except to say I hope that feeling never goes away, however experienced I might become at publishing.
Raphael Merriman
I read someone else's book and plagiarise it.
No, seriously, I get ideas from all over the place! I just published my novel, "A Tiding Of Magpies", which came about from a creative writing class I used to attend. We were given a photo of a shop and told "a crime has taken place here", and left to work out the details ourselves.
One of my fellow students bemoaned the fact he wouldn't be able to do anything with it, as he was a science fiction writer. I told him it was easy enough to turn anything into science fiction, and he challenged me to do it with this.
So I wrote what was originally intended as a short story, about a group of time-travelling soldiers. I left a loose end, and my OCD kicked in, and turned it into a full-length novel.
All because someone said it couldn't be done!
No, seriously, I get ideas from all over the place! I just published my novel, "A Tiding Of Magpies", which came about from a creative writing class I used to attend. We were given a photo of a shop and told "a crime has taken place here", and left to work out the details ourselves.
One of my fellow students bemoaned the fact he wouldn't be able to do anything with it, as he was a science fiction writer. I told him it was easy enough to turn anything into science fiction, and he challenged me to do it with this.
So I wrote what was originally intended as a short story, about a group of time-travelling soldiers. I left a loose end, and my OCD kicked in, and turned it into a full-length novel.
All because someone said it couldn't be done!
Raphael Merriman
I'm working on a horror story, "The Shadow Over Loch Ness" (although the title may change.
It's July 1934, and an expedition has been arranged to find evidence of the Loch Mess Monster. A private group of individuals is running a parallel expedition, but they find a lot more than they were hoping to...
It's July 1934, and an expedition has been arranged to find evidence of the Loch Mess Monster. A private group of individuals is running a parallel expedition, but they find a lot more than they were hoping to...
Raphael Merriman
Never question yourself. Never say, "Am I good enough?" or "What if nobody likes it?".
Write for yourself, primarily. Write the story YOU would want to read if you picked this book up in a shop or online. If YOU don't like it, you can't expect too many others to, but if you write YOUR perfect story, you'll come back to it and realise, "Wow... I'm actually pretty good!"
And the likelihood is others will too. So don't give up, don't let doubts and insecurities convince you to stop writing. You're writing because the world deserves to see what you have to offer. Give them what you have.
Write for yourself, primarily. Write the story YOU would want to read if you picked this book up in a shop or online. If YOU don't like it, you can't expect too many others to, but if you write YOUR perfect story, you'll come back to it and realise, "Wow... I'm actually pretty good!"
And the likelihood is others will too. So don't give up, don't let doubts and insecurities convince you to stop writing. You're writing because the world deserves to see what you have to offer. Give them what you have.
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