Jhb West - April 24

and experience a foreign country
firsthand is a great advantage
when setting the tone for your
fictional work.”
These days, Mervyn just loves kicking
off his mornings by writing at dawn,
soaking in the gentle light of the
horizon, with the chirping birds
keeping him company. He also
spends his time doing book readings
at old age homes, promoting his
books and giving talks at schools
and libraries.
Rooted in his passion for storytelling,
Mervyn is involved with the National
Libraries of South Africa, giving
talks at schools and libraries about
the importance of reading from an
early age.
This talented wordsmith’s novels
are already available in a whopping
85 countries, and he’s got his sights
set on adding Greece and Slovenia
to the list ... simply because those
are the places where his first and
third novels (which is already in the
pipeline) came to life.
It’s safe to say Mervyn’s writing
journey has only just begun. As his
life motto rings “Don’t put off till
tomorrow what can be done today.
It is an opportunity lost.”
You’ll find The Priest and the Gondolier
(published by Europe Books) at
Exclusive Books and Porcupine
Press for around R350. Details:
Follow @MervynNel on Facebook
Mervyn tells us more about the brand-new chapter in his life.
How do you beat writer’s block?
I go for long walks, visit family and friends or read a good novel.
What inspires you?
Mostly my travels overseas and from interacting with interesting and
knowledgeable people.
Early bird or night owl?
Definitely an early bird. I typically start editing from around 4.30am. I begin with
editing the previous day’s work for two hours. I then take an hour break for
breakfast after which I begin that day’s writing. I write on average six hours a day.
How do you breathe life into your characters?
I develop my characters during the story. I keep them down to earth while
making them as memorable as possible. They all have their own quirks and
idiosyncrasies. A lot of the characters in my first novel were based on actual
fishermen I met and spoke with on the Greek Islands.
Do you see yourself in some of your characters?
Yes, I see myself in the leading characters of my novels. They need to adapt and
overcome adversity. They face transition and at times need to make difficult
decisions. This is how I felt when I left the corporate world after 30 years to go
out on my own
Advice for a first-time author?
Write every day. Don’t focus too much on grammar, sentence structure and all
that. Just put your thoughts on paper. Editing can be done later. You cannot edit
something that is not written.
What can readers expect from you next?
My next novel, Postcard from Maribor will be ready for release in the near future.
Any aspiring writer knows the feeling of a blank page glaring back at them. The
cursor blinks, waiting for you to write something. But you are frozen. Where do
you start? Well, Mervyn suggests the following:
5 Golden tips for writing
1
2
3
4 5
Write about topics you are knowledgeable about or have a deep
understanding of. If you know nothing about science fiction and you
attempt to write on this, the readers of that genre will quickly pick up that it is
not of the usual high standard.
Do not be too self-critical. If you are going to continuously self-doubt
yourself, you will keep rewriting to make your work sound better and
therefore you will never reach the stage where you will submit and ultimately be
published.
Do thorough research. If your novel is set in a real place and at a specific
time, research is essential to ensure that your facts are correct.
The development of your characters is key to your story. The one thing that
stays with the reader long after they have read a novel is the characters.
Have someone edit your work prior to submission. It’s always good to have
a second set of eyes and an independent opinion. If you have the available
funds, I would strongly advise you to have your work professionally edited prior
to submission. This will improve your chances of acceptance.
April 2024 Get It Magazine 13