Category Archives: writing

Reading between the lines…

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Mark Hayes

I had one of those conversations on Friday, the ones every writer dreads. Okay maybe not every writer, I am making a grand assumption here based on a small pool of reference, but hell grand assumptions are what make the … Continue reading →

Posted in #amwriting, amreading, quotes, writes, writing | Tagged #amwriting, amediting, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 1 Comment

The page count problem…

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Mark Hayes

Wheather you self-publish or go the traditional route page count is a problem for a writer. The reasons page count matters are different, but the result is the same. But for a writer, unless you’re one of those rare ones … Continue reading →

Posted in Hannibal Smyth, indie novels, Passing Place, self-publishing, writes, writing | Tagged #selfpub, nanowrimo, self-publishing, steampunk, writer, writerslife, writing, writingtip | 2 Comments

Writers on reading…

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Mark Hayes

The old sage and great whit Stephen King says in ‘On Writing‘ “If you want to be a writer you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Occasionally I forget the former when … Continue reading →

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The waiting room of the psyche…

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Mark Hayes

I am a little bi-polar, though that is not unusual, almost everyone is to a degree. We all have highs and lows, and our moods swing between them. the truly bipolar are just those for whom the swing between extremes … Continue reading →

Posted in depression, goodnews, goodreads, Hannibal Smyth, insomnia, opinion, Passing Place, self-publishing, writes, writing | Tagged #amwriting, #scifi, amwritingscifi, steampunk, writer, writerslife, writingtip | 1 Comment

An Authors Avarice…

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Mark Hayes

I may have mentioned this… But forgive me for being overly excited about a new release… Normal service, whatever waffling meanderings on writing, Lovecraft, politics, the world, and general geekery can be described as normal will resume shortly. But in … Continue reading →

Posted in fiction, goodreads, Hannibal Smyth, indie, indie novels, kindlesale, nanowrimo, novels, Passing Place, pointless things of wonderfulness, publication, reads, retro book reviews, sci-fi, steampunk, writing | Tagged #scifi, authors, bookblog, bookreview, books, discworld, ebook, humour, novels, reading, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk, stories | 1 Comment

New release…

Posted on June 19, 2018 by Mark Hayes

Well, it’s finally out there. Though… For reasons I am not entirely sure of the kindle version (edit kindle version now live too) is taking some time to go live, however, available in paperback NOW for the tiny price … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, booksale, Esqwiths, fiction, Hannibal Smyth, indie, kindlesale, nanowrimo, novels, Passing Place, publication, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, world book day, writes, writing | Tagged #scifi, amreadingscifi, bookblog, bookcovers, books, booksale, reading, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk | 3 Comments

Piano Player or Pianist…

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Mark Hayes

Sam, he who was famously, but never actually, asked to ‘Play it again,‘ was the piano player in Rick’s bar in Casablanca. To my mind, that is whom he is, ‘The Piano Player’, he has never been ‘The Pianist’. That … Continue reading →

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Rambling through a full edit…

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Mark Hayes

Stephen King explains in On Writing that his approach to second drafts and editing involves reducing the word count of a novel by a good ten per cent. Having read my fair share of Mr Kings novels, one hates to … Continue reading →

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Advice for writers in a slump

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Mark Hayes

A facebook friend struggling with their first novel was asking for advice or more accurately was bemoaning the struggle they are having getting words on paper. So after telling them not to be so hard on themselves. I wrote out … Continue reading →

Posted in #amwriting, nanowrimo, rant, writes, writing | Tagged #amwriting, amediting, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 1 Comment

Rage against the reviews…

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Mark Hayes

It’s been a while since I had a really good rant. Which is probably a symptom of relative happiness, so the lack of me having a good old-fashioned rant about something is probably a good sign. All the same, there … Continue reading →