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Merle Nygate

Goodreads Author

Born

The United Kingdom

Website

http://ww.merlenygate.com/index.html

Twitter

MerleNygate

Genre

Crime, Suspense, Fiction

Member Since

August 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/merle_nygate

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I’m the author of The Righteous Spy, winner of the 2017 Little Brown/UEA Crime Fiction Award. It's my first espionage novel. Previously I've worked as a screenwriter and script editor working on BAFTA winning TV, New York Festival audio drama, written original sitcoms and script edited across multiple genres.. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Merle Nygate What’s the best thing about being a writer
I am torn; there are two contenders for the best thing about being a writer. The first ‘best thing’ is other…moreWhat’s the best thing about being a writer
I am torn; there are two contenders for the best thing about being a writer. The first ‘best thing’ is other writers. To paraphrase my muse, the immortal Nigel Molesworth, writers are noble, brave, fearless etc. But it’s not a joke; writers are good people.
The other terrific thing about being a writer is feedback from the people for whom you are writing. When I hear from a reader who has engaged with the characters I’ve created and the themes I’ve explored, it’s deeply satisfying. It’s like getting an answer to a letter and someone saying, ‘I know what you mean, I know people like that, I’ve been in that place, I’ve felt that too.’ I get a real sense of connection.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Merle Nygate There was a time when I thought that writer’s block was like the monster chained up in the wardrobe – a scary fairy tale. However, after being bumped …moreThere was a time when I thought that writer’s block was like the monster chained up in the wardrobe – a scary fairy tale. However, after being bumped off of a TV project that was close to my heart, the monster was unleashed. The next time I sat down to write I was frozen. I couldn’t do it. All the doubts about my writing talent and skill fizzed up to the surface and I repeatedly asked myself why on earth I was doing all this hard work because whatever I did was doomed to failure.
It was an echo of something a teacher said to me at school – that I would be a failure at whatever I did for the rest of my life. I don’t think she liked me.
A writing friend suggested The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s a three-month programme with two basic ideas. The first is you write three pages stream of consciousness every day. And the second is that you do a weekly artist’s date. There’s also lots of other creative exercises plus a liberal smattering of spiritual stuff.
You have to be desperate to do it.
I was desperate. And it worked.
Writer’s block is really writer’s anxiety and mild depression.
Every time I start a new project there’s always a moment or two when I go through an anxiety sequence when I doubt that I can do it, then I doubt that anyone else will like what I’ve done. These days, I recognise the inevitable sequence as part of the writing process.
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Merle Nygate’s books

Average rating: 3.91 · 512 ratings · 39 reviews · 10 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Righteous Spy: A twisting international spy thriller 3.94 avg rating — 294 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Honour Among Spies 3.89 avg rating — 144 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Be My Friend: A Darkbridge Story 3.55 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Righteous Spy 4.25 avg rating — 24 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mother Care: A Darkbridge Short Story 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Protocols of Spying: A morally complex espionage thriller about Middle East conflict, British intelligence and the shadow war that connects them 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Honour Among Spies 3.50 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Snap: A Darkbridge Short Story 2.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Protocols of Spying: A morally complex espionage thriller about Middle East conflict, British intelligence and the shadow war that connects them really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Short Season: A Darkbridge Short Story 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Merle Nygate's Blog

Getting Better All The time

Why does traditional publishing get so excited about debut novels? I understand that there’s excitement to be had about the next big thing, the new model, latest craze, fresh, original, up to the minute, must have, must read book . . . but it strikes me that unless an author is a one book wonder, the second book will be better than the first and the third book better than the second and so on. For