A Journey Through Inspiration, Discovery, and the Evolution of a Story
The story behind the creation of The Mereland Chronicles is a tale in itself, spanning many years.
I remember the moment of conception clearly. The year was 1986, and it was a chilly autumn day. I had spent the afternoon exploring the winding Lake District roads and had just parked my 50cc motorcycle in a small gravel car park at one of my favourite spots. After following a path to the shores of Coniston Water (or more accurately, Coniston Mere), I sat on a rock at the water’s edge and pondered life. As a teenager, I had many demons to slay and life choices to consider. I can’t recall how long I sat there, but the light was beginning to fade in the grey sky. Just as I was about to leave, a scene popped into my head, a vision, if you will. I don’t know where it came from, but the scenery and atmosphere around me clearly played a part. I got to my feet and left; I had something new to ponder.
They Say Everyone Has a Novel in Them…
As I grew older, that scene developed into an idea for a story on its own. It was as if it wanted – needed – to come out. So I decided to let it. But there was a problem, I had never written anything substantial before, let alone a novel, so I left it to fester in the back of my mind, and the years rolled by.
That scene, and the story it became, stayed with me for over twenty years before I decided to do something about it. Over time, I had developed the confidence I needed to tackle the daunting task of writing a story. Taking the bull by the horns, I signed up for a night school class at my local college and immediately discovered others who shared my fledgling passion for storytelling.
By that time, I hadn’t been in an English class for nearly thirty years. But now, at 40 years old, I sat in an adult creative writing class and found myself, after a little prompting from the tutor, flourishing. I was writing basically, but writing at last!
The twelve-week course ended, but I continued writing for the next year before enrolling in another class. In that time, my skills improved dramatically.
A New Direction
Now that I had some writing experience, I finally felt ready to take a stab at the story inspired by that scene from so many years ago. Over the next year, I completed the first draft. Though still essentially a brain dump, and very rough, it had the structure I wanted. But then something unexpected happened.
While researching the Lake District, I stumbled across the legend of The Claife Crier. I knew instantly that the story I had just drafted was actually book two. The Crier folklore had forged a new narrative in my mind, a backstory to the Claife Crier that fitted perfectly into the universe I had created. It also added a tremendous plot twist at the end of book one (no spoilers here).
Rather than diving into editing my first draft, I shelved it and began writing a new novel, the story that would eventually become The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier. Yes, I know this may not have been the most sensible or structurally efficient way to create a book series, but it worked for me.
What About the Draft of Book Two?
Now that I have a solid foundation for The Mereland Chronicles with The Crier, I will soon begin editing and rewriting my rough draft [book two]. It’s a task I’m looking forward to because, as with any skill, practice leads to improvement. No doubt, I’ll find some cringe-worthy errors when I revisit the draft, untouched for nearly five years. Once book one is released, I’ll begin this process in earnest and hope to have book two ready within eighteen months, or so.
The Scene?
“This is all great, but what was the scene?” That’s a good question, but one I can’t answer out of context. All I can say is, read The Mereland Chronicles. Although that scene hasn’t been written yet, it will be in book three. So, unfortunately, you’ll have to be as patient. You’ll know it when you come across the words (or something to the effect of): “Awoke by the lake.”
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The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier – Coming 2025 – See here for latest news.
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Paul J. Scribbans — Author 