14 Titles and Counting

Now the author of 14 titles, Paul’s journey into publishing is a testament to creativity, perseverance, and adaptability. With a background as a writer for advertising and television, including well-known BBC sitcoms such as May to December and My Hero, he initially ventured into books as a means to develop a screenplay. However, what started as a single novel quickly evolved into a passion for storytelling in written form.

Despite challenges in securing an agent later in his career, Paul found success with The Book Guild, where he has now published fourteen titles. What started as a launch-pad from his career of script-writing has led him to being an award-winning author with the movie rights being picked up by Avatar Entertainment, as well as further movie and TV interest for his other novels. 

So what inspired Paul’s prolific writing career? How has he stayed so motivated? 

Starting His Writing Career 

Paul has been a writer all his working life; first as an advertising copywriter (remember the Think Before You Drink Before You Drive campaigns?) and then as the creator and scriptwriter of some very long-running BBC sitcoms, including May to December, So Haunt Me and My Hero. It wasn’t until he created a campaign for Heinz Spaghetti, featuring a little girl with an imaginary friend called Eric that he first decided to try writing a children’s movie. It was about a boy who lost his imaginary friend and was very well-received. But a producer friend told him ‘find me a kid’s movie that isn’t based on a book – unless it’s from Pixar’.

“So I wrote the novel for it, Losing Arthur, and discovered to my surprise that I absolutely loved writing books, for kids and grown-ups.” 

Alongside helping him discover a new craft, Losing Arthur still has movie interest. A fantastic project indeed!  

From Scriptwriter to Prolific Author 

Writing one novel is a massive accomplishment, but 14 is phenomenal. How can he stay so motivated, so committed to his creativity? 

Like any author, Paul’s writing career started with the all-important question: “can I even write a book?” When the first novel to be published (which was, in fact, an adult legal comedy-drama In The Matter of Isabel), garnered such a positive response, the question shifted to: ‘can I write another one?’ 

Now, Paul recommends writers ignore the outcome and enjoy the process. 

“I love writing and if one of my readers loves what I write, that’s a bonus. Getting stuck on what happens next can be stifling in the extreme.” 

Alongside this, finding a writing process that works for you is crucial. For Paul, he pulls on his years of scriptwriting to help manage the writing process: “As a scriptwriter by trade, I sometimes write the script first, as this nails down the characters, plot and the dialogue – the latter being hugely important to me, as a writer naturally but also as a reader. One telling line of dialogue can tell you more than a mountain of description.” 

Paul's collection of published titles, as of July 2026 

Awards and Movie Rights 

In moving past his writing block and discovering The Book Guild, Paul says that “publishing became a total pleasure.” Alongside discovering a love of writing in a new format, he has secured major movie interest. 

“I script all of my books and via LinkedIn I met a major Hollywood producer,” Paul shares. “She read my first novel and optioned it and my script within a week of publication. We had a great director signed up, along with some A-list stars (including Richard E Grant) but then, as these things often do, it all fell apart. I’m afraid that’s the way of the film and TV world.” 

“My comic novel Must Have GSOH was the only finalist from the UK in the prestigious Screencraft Cinematic Book Contest 2023 in LA. The book and my script were optioned by the people who make the lovely UK movie Fishermen’s Friends, so fingers crossed.” 

Most recently, he has had some exciting news for his publication, Seville, which was published by The Book Guild in September 2025. “My script of my novel Seville became a prize winner in the 2025 Stage 32 Romantic Script Contest in LA and was the only Finalist in the UK. This was out of 4,500 entrants from all over the US and beyond.” 

The movie rights have also been picked up by Avatar Entertainment in LA, and there is an Oscar and BAFTA-shortlisted director on board. “It was recently pitched at Cannes and is now out for casting. So fingers crossed!” 

Alongside this brilliant news for Seville, there is movie interest in his first children’s novel, Losing Arthur and TV interest in his recent Henry Jaffa (Henry the Half-Time Hero) Trilogy. 

Even amongst all this success, Paul says the most stand-out moments “have always been when readers tell me they couldn’t put down one of my books, or laugh themselves silly reading it.” 

How Writing Has Shaped His Purpose 

Having built his career as a scriptwriter, Paul hadn’t even seen himself as an author. “I’ve always been interested in the more visual media. Then I realised that books are probably the most visual of them all.” 

“An author is creating pictures that are individual to each reader and I totally love that aspect of it, and the plays and adaptations I wrote for BBC Radio 4 held a similar attraction.” 

“People have told me that when they read my books that they can ‘see’ them – which is probably thanks to my background and training.” 

“And I have to say the respect and satisfaction I’ve experienced as a published author outweighs that of all my other creative endeavours, even if it doesn’t surpass the income!” 

“My books have also afforded me an easier entrée for my scripts (film companies love Intellectual Property). Yet perhaps more than anything writing books has furnished me with a purpose and some meaning as I grow older, as I have no intention nor desire to retire.” 

Paul with a selection of his titles 

Don’t Get It Right, Get It Written! 

The best advice Paul was ever given was from the late great TV director, Sydney Lotterby, who helmed classics such as Porridge, Yes Minister, As Time Goes By, and so on. He was directing May to December for Paul and he said: “Paul, don’t get it right, get it written!” 

“He meant don’t wait an eternity for perfection before you even set it down on paper. Just splurge on what’s in your head and, more importantly, in your heart.” 

“You can craft and finesse it later.” 

Furthermore, a bit of guidance Paul gives others is ‘rejection is part of the process’. 

“If you believe in something, don’t give up. There’ll be someone out there who’ll believe in it too. Unless, of course, it’s total rubbish – in which case don’t give up your day job!” 

Learn more about Paul Mendelson and his publications here.