Michael Haskins's Blog – August 2007 Archive (4)

Writers need a bit of snake-oil-saleman's charm



Waiting for March ’08, when my book "Chasin’ the Wind" finally makes it into bookstores, has been frustrating. I turned in the final copy of the novel to the first editor in mid December. I would take it as personal if the publishers’ panel at SleuthFest, held in Miami in March, hadn’t discussed that it takes up 16 months from acceptance to publication.

After the New Year, I began working on a sequel, though I had no…

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Added by Michael Haskins on August 15, 2007 at 9:33am — No Comments

More story ideas, or why I drink

If you read an earlier blog, you know my friend Art, one of the managers of the Hog’s Breath Saloon, has decided to write a novel. I think his words were something like, “If you can do it, so can I!” I think he’s discovering it is not as easy as he thought.

“I read you recent blog,” Art said and bought me a Jameson on the rocks. “Insightful,” he nodded and smiled.

I knew there was more to come, so I waited and sipped my Jameson.

“Thank you, Art,” I finally…

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Added by Michael Haskins on August 10, 2007 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Where do story ideas come from? Or, truth is stranger than fiction

As a writer, I read newspapers and news magazines. It’s as mandatory as writing, as far as I’m concerned. I read to stimulate ideas. I don’t always read the headline stories, but look for the short pieces that carry unusual news. You never know when something strange might kick your imagination into gear. I can read a piece from Alaska and ask myself, “what if, in Key West . . .?”

I also watch TV news, both the Miami channels and CNN. I watched, as most of the world did, in horror…

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Added by Michael Haskins on August 8, 2007 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Question: what is writing? Answer:



I was asked by a friend how I write when I write and for how long. A lot easier asked than answered. I have read of writers who work eight-to-10-hours a day, sometimes six-days a week, in front of the computer. Wow! If I did that, I could get a book done in three months. I am not sure how good it would be, not with my shortsighted thought process.

Like many writers, I have a job that pays the bills and then my real job, writing. So, at the end of the day I can be all juiced up…

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Added by Michael Haskins on August 1, 2007 at 1:59am — No Comments

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