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Merle Nygate

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Merle Nygate

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Born
The United Kingdom
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August 2013

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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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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…more
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 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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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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Average rating: 3.91 · 512 ratings · 39 reviews · 10 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Righteous Spy: A twisti...

3.94 avg rating — 294 ratings4 editions
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Honour Among Spies

3.89 avg rating — 144 ratings2 editions
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Be My Friend: A Darkbridge ...

3.55 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions
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The Righteous Spy

4.25 avg rating — 24 ratings2 editions
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Mother Care: A Darkbridge S...

4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2015
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The Protocols of Spying: A ...

4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings2 editions
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Honour Among Spies

3.50 avg rating — 4 ratings
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Snap: A Darkbridge Short Story

2.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2014
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The Protocols of Spying: A ...

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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Short Season: A Darkbridge ...

0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions
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More books by Merle Nygate…

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

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Published on August 31, 2015 04:41
Our Man in Havana
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“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
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