Ask the Author: Matthew Pritchard
Answered Questions (7)
Matthew Pritchard
Books are still the best source of information, and Amazon means you can obtain many of them as cheap second-hand paperbacks.
I also do my best to find and contact experts on the particular subject I am researching: web searches can give you the emails of all sorts of interesting academics, and a little persistence and politeness can give you access to fascinating facts that are not known to the general public.
I also do my best to find and contact experts on the particular subject I am researching: web searches can give you the emails of all sorts of interesting academics, and a little persistence and politeness can give you access to fascinating facts that are not known to the general public.
Matthew Pritchard
My most recently published book was Broken Arrow, which refers to the Palomares Incident, a real life nuclear accident in southern Spain. I had always wanted to write about this subject, so off I went, researching it.
Matthew Pritchard
I research my subject carefully, using dozens of different sources. When a particular fact catches my eye, I make a note of it, or simply rephrase it as line of dialogue said by a character and then run with other character's responses. Sometimes a single line in a dry, dusty history tome can generate 500 words.
Matthew Pritchard
Read a lot.
Perfect your understanding of grammar.
Don't copy other people's ideas.
Be original.
Get an agent.
Write at least 1,000 words EVERY day, no excuses.
When your work is rejected, use the bitterness, anger and hatred you feel to fuel more writing.
Perfect your understanding of grammar.
Don't copy other people's ideas.
Be original.
Get an agent.
Write at least 1,000 words EVERY day, no excuses.
When your work is rejected, use the bitterness, anger and hatred you feel to fuel more writing.
Matthew Pritchard
I have just finished the first draft of a quality fantasy novel, which should hopefully allow me to pursue careers in two different genres (crime and fantasy) although I have added elements of police procedural to the fantasy book and avoided writing it in the genre's usual ponderous prose style.
I am also working on a new crime series set in England.
I am also working on a new crime series set in England.
Matthew Pritchard
In my case, it is the ability to spend 95% of my time alone. I find other people very difficult to be around, and I only socialise with a very select group, all of whom I have known for decades and have helped me through the worst of my mental illnesses.
I am far more comfortable dealing with imaginary people that with real ones!
I am far more comfortable dealing with imaginary people that with real ones!
Matthew Pritchard
I always have at least two projects on the go, so writer's block is not really an issue for me. If I stall on one, I jump to the other. I also make sure I am meticulous about my research, as it is the jumping off point for so many of my best ideas - truth is not only stranger than fiction, it is also normally much better!
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