Category Archives: indiewriter

The Writers Life : An Honest Conversation

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Mark Hayes

What is success, well for me it is readers, it has always been readers. You have to find your own way to judge your success. But as a community writers need to be more honest with each other. ‘Fake it until you make it’ is all very well except that builds false expectations against which we measure ourselves. And that is damaging. Continue reading →

Posted in amwriting, depression, indie writers, indiewriter, opinion, writes, writing | Tagged writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 6 Comments

Strange wonders

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Tales of Sanctimonious cults, another of a strange tower that do not want to be seen. A story of madness and elder gods returning in the Tees valley, a tale of a magician appointed to the court of Victoria Sax-Coberg. The strange statement of a life repeating in waves of twenty-seven, a tale of a wyrd in the western deserts cira 1850, a story with Sigmond Freud in a rowing boat and finally Hannibal Smyth, who is his as reliably honest as ever, while carrying and aspidistra. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, books, cthulhu, fantasy, fiction, Hannibal Smyth, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, Passing Place, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural | Tagged books, fantasy, horror, newbook, Passing Place, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk | 1 Comment

The Rabbit Hole

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Mark Hayes

So I am down the rabbit hole, admit The Matter of France, Italian Epic Poems, adrift in the pedalo of an idea, that may become a thing… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, books, dreamlands, fiction, humour, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, music, rant, reads, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, dark tower, darkages, music, Orlando, reads, Roland, sciencefiction, writer, writing | 1 Comment

And then the ride is over…

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Craig Hallam asked me to tell him what I thought of the ending, in that nervous not entirely sure of himself manner of his. The answer to that is simple, I loved it. It is what I expected it would be at the time, masterful. The ending his hero deserved. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, fiction, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, reads, steampunk | Tagged amreading, bookreview, books, plup, reads, scifi, steampunk, writing | 1 Comment

A Duckman’s Odyssey

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Mark Hayes

I have personally been far more involved with Harvey 13 than any Harvey previously. the bulk of the work is still being done by the ever wonderful Gillie Hatton of 6E publishing, but I am one of a triumvirate of submissions editors curating the collection to an extent… So I have a degree of pride wrapped up in this one and more skin in the game. It is however a great collection of stories. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, books, fantasy, fiction, Hannibal Smyth, Harvey Duckman, horror, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, Lovecraft, novels, Passing Place, pointless things of wonderfulness, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 2 Comments

Reading Maybe…

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Mark Hayes

This blog is just to say to anyone who wants to write but is dyslexic, don’t let that stop you. Don’t let anything stop you. Continue reading →

Posted in amediting, amreading, amwriting, dyslexia, Hannibal Smyth, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, reads, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, reads, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

Writing Groups, a guest blog by Liz Tuckwell

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Mark Hayes

For Mark’s annual Indie Month, I thought I’d write something about my experience of writing groups. Writing is a solitary pursuit, but writers like to get together to discuss their craft and occasionally have a good moan about writing and publishing. Continue reading →

Posted in #amwriting, amreading, amwriting, Harvey Duckman, indie, indie novels, indie writers, IndieApril, indiewriter, writes, writing | Tagged harveyduckman, reads, sciencefiction, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 4 Comments

Unblocking the Dam: Guest Post by Kate Baucherel

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Kate Baucherel, fellow Harvy Duckman author, expert in anything with the words cyber or crypto in fount of them, black belt in some form of violent sport or other and occasional drinker of Guinness, with some interesting thoughts. I think this sort of thing should be encouraged… Continue reading →

Posted in amwriting, indie, indie writers, indiewriter, opinion, reads, sci-fi, writing | Tagged amwritingscifi, books, sciencefiction, scifiscarbrough, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingcommunity, writingtips | Leave a comment

Eating the Livers of my Lovers: A guest post by Nimue Brown

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Mark Hayes

The full title of this blog is ‘Eating the livers of my lovers and other poems I now have to write because Mark gave me a title’ Which was a writing prompt I gave to the ever wonderful Nimue Brown when she asked the world to do so. Having supplied this title I abdicate all responsibility thence*. The rest is all Nimue… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, blogging, books, druidry, fiction, IndieApril, indiewriter, pagan, reads | Tagged amreading, folklore, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 3 Comments

Steampunk Fiction, what is it?

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Anyone who knows anything about the Steampunk subculture will generally answer the question “What is steampunk?” with words to the effect of “Whatever you want it to be..!”

This is of course an absurdly unhelpful answer. Continue reading →