Ask the Author: Matthew Harrop
Answered Questions (8)
Matthew Harrop
Who pooped?
I face this mystery pretty often, coming home to the very innocent faces of two little dogs and one surprisingly large pile of dog shit (maybe it just looks bigger indoors). I have wanted to work on a series of short stories on just such little happenings in daily life that I think could be pretty fun. One of my favorite ideas for a story is the story of a very tense gun battle that culminates in a true Mexican standoff - but the battle is between me and my six year old having a Nerf war.
So perhaps someday I'll actually write out some of these everyday mysteries. It would be a nice change of pace.
I face this mystery pretty often, coming home to the very innocent faces of two little dogs and one surprisingly large pile of dog shit (maybe it just looks bigger indoors). I have wanted to work on a series of short stories on just such little happenings in daily life that I think could be pretty fun. One of my favorite ideas for a story is the story of a very tense gun battle that culminates in a true Mexican standoff - but the battle is between me and my six year old having a Nerf war.
So perhaps someday I'll actually write out some of these everyday mysteries. It would be a nice change of pace.
Matthew Harrop
Wow, thank you! I do have a new book coming out soon. I know I've taken too long in getting it out, but I'm finishing up the last draft now. I'm hoping to have it out by the end of July at the very latest.
This one will be another standalone novel about two friends who really explore the phrase, "Why not?" It's a story that I think will appeal to anyone who likes to dream about the ways they could solve their problems without worrying about such silly considerations as laws or rules. It's a story inspired by vigilante daydreams.
I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have, and that my writing style has only gotten better since I wrote my first book (I really don't think it's gotten worse).
This one will be another standalone novel about two friends who really explore the phrase, "Why not?" It's a story that I think will appeal to anyone who likes to dream about the ways they could solve their problems without worrying about such silly considerations as laws or rules. It's a story inspired by vigilante daydreams.
I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have, and that my writing style has only gotten better since I wrote my first book (I really don't think it's gotten worse).
Matthew Harrop
I was in a genetics class and someone gave a presentation about the genetic research being done on neanderthals and their genome (which has actually been sequenced; crazy). That led to me watching some documentaries about neanderthals and cro-magnons, and then a trip to the library for books on the subject. When I found Clan of the Cave Bear I was so enveloped in that primal world that I knew I wanted to write something set there. I haven't written it yet, but I consider that my most recent book.
I have only published one book thus far, and that was inspired by my curiosity about what would happen in the wake of a nuclear winter, which was sparked by studying nuclear chemistry in college. I thought that was an underrepresented aspect of nuclear apocalypses, and once I had the idea in my head, I was defenseless. The rest of the story came soon after.
I have only published one book thus far, and that was inspired by my curiosity about what would happen in the wake of a nuclear winter, which was sparked by studying nuclear chemistry in college. I thought that was an underrepresented aspect of nuclear apocalypses, and once I had the idea in my head, I was defenseless. The rest of the story came soon after.
Matthew Harrop
I will be honest, it doesn't take much for me to get inspired to write. Just knowing how good it feels to scroll up on a word document and see how many words I put on a page makes me feel so accomplished that I want to add more. I try to create characters that feel real to me, and it has gotten to the point with some of them that I could not possibly leave them without some kind of closure. My last manuscript that I finished, I couldn't figure out what was going to happen to the main character, and that pained me. Getting them to the end inspires me. Like I said though, it doesn't take much. For my birthday, my fiancee bought me a fountain pen and a new notebook. I immediately started outlining my next novel. I think being a daydreamer at heart, it just takes the tiniest nudge toward paper and pen to get me to write.
Matthew Harrop
I'm currently working on a fantasy story that I think will be part of a trilogy. I read a ton of fantasy as a kid. I couldn't even imagine how many times I went to a library and just typed the word "dragon" into the search bar on the card catalog. I'm trying my hand at creating a world of magic the likes of which I spent my childhood imagining. So far, I think ten-year-old me would approve.
Matthew Harrop
My advice to anyone who wants to be a writer is to just do it. Writing doesn't cost you anything. Hell, if you've got a good enough memory, you don't even need that. If you want to write, start doing it, and see how it feels. Forget about becoming the next Stephen King or even making money, just see how it feels to write. If you're a writer at heart, it will become obvious pretty quickly. Once you have something written, in this day and age, it doesn't take much to get your work out there, either. There's never been a time more open for writers. I think taking that first step is half the battle. None of us could make a living if everyone who wanted to write would put pen to paper.
Matthew Harrop
This will probably seem dumb, but the best thing about being a writer for me is being able to sit down and write. Having an outlet for the stories that are constantly whirring around my head is incredibly satisfying. Ever since I was a kid I've been a daydreamer, and it just feels so natural to use that tendency for something. Writing gives me an outlet to let that mental pressure go. Just the act of coming up with a story, of making up characters in my head and watching them go is the most fun thing.
Matthew Harrop
Whenever I've gotten stuck on a story, I tend to shut my laptop and go outside. There's a big, beautiful park close by, and I've found that walking around the gardens alone usually gets me distracted enough to let those creative juices flow again. If that doesn't work, I'll pull out a notebook and just start writing anything about the story that I know. Where it's going, what's going to happen to a certain character. When I can't tell where to put my foot next, I just need to look up and remind myself where I'm going. Taking in the big picture makes that next step seem just trivial enough to take away any pressure, and I can keep going.
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