Tom Meredith
Tom specialised in ancient and early medieval history at university which prepared him perfectly for his career in financial services over the past decade. This has in turn prepared him for a life in writing! He has always had a passion for writing, starting in the underappreciated world of fan fiction and then beginning his first novel at the age of fourteen.
A keen sports fan, Tom has experienced heartache on a regular basis, but it was the downtime during the pandemic which gave him the motivation to finally see his writing through to a conclusion. Deemed an essential worker during that time, Tom found himself spending mornings and evenings on empty trains writing about the world around him. The fear and unease the world felt during this time underpins his first novel, but the messaging of hope exhibited by the sense of togetherness during the lockdowns is a constant undertone to the fictional threat his characters face.
It is the inspiration from his research which inflames his desire to write, whether it be digging into medieval archives or quizzing local figures. Although set in the modern day, Tom will infuse his love of historical education into his descriptive writing of places and people.
Q&A
- What are your ambitions as an author?
I am lucky enough to be achieving an ambition simply to be an author, but I want my writing to have an impact on people. I want to measure success not simply through sales, but through the reader experience I create. It is a precious privilege to be able to have a positive impact on another person’s life and I believe authors have the opportunity to do just that. I will strive to keep making that even a small impact on as many people as I can.
During the pandemic, I remember having a conversation with the only other person in the train carriage (socially distanced of course!), who was reading a book for the first time in fifteen years. He wanted a sense of escapism from our own world which had been turned upside down, but not too much escapism that he couldn’t relate to the fear and the thrills of the characters. I want to write books which will resonate with people, due to the parallels in their own lives and world in terms of emotion and stakes.
- What motivates you to write?
There is no one thing alone which motivates me to write day to day, but we are lucky to live in a world that does not lack inspiration. When I occasionally find myself in a writing slump, I find it doesn’t take much looking around me to find motivation to write again. It can be seeing the suffering in the world and wanting to raise awareness of certain causes, or someone without a book in their hand on the train and wanting to replace their phone with a paperback.
I find people and places inspiring. As a keen historian, it can be a historical podcast which sparks an idea to infuse into my modern-day story telling or else taking a moment to enjoy breathtaking scenery.
- What would your advice be to those with an interest in writing who are unsure whether to pursue it?
Do it! The only person holding you back is you. Make a difference to yourself and others.