Hi! I’m Mike Martin, and I write mystery.
From Planning to Published
When did you start writing and why?
I have always been a reader and a writer. From an early age my older sisters would take me to the library with them and I learned the fun and adventure of reading. I always wanted to write a book so I could capture some of that magic.
How long did it take you to finish your first book?
I jokingly say about 40 years since that’s when I actually finished my first book.
If you’ve published, how long did your first book take?
It took me about 3 years from start to published copy.
Has your publishing timeframe improved at all since your first publication?
Absolutely. I can now write a book and have it published in about a year.
Are you indie, traditional, hybrid, or vanity, and why?
I am hybrid but I have been independent. The traditional publishing industry is too closed and too hard to break into for new authors.
How did you determine your target audience?
Mostly by chance and by reader input.
How do you get critiques, betas, feedback, and edits?
I have beta readers who have been with me all the way through. Some of those are reviewers and I use promo services like PUYB… A fabulous resource.
Marketing
Do you have a platform? What does it consist of?
I have a website and use Facebook and Twitter for marketing.
What is your launch plan for your works?
I try and get early reviews and then I use a book tour like PUYB to help get the word out
What do you think is the most critical marketing component or tactic for becoming successful?
Facebook is an absolute must for the crime/mystery genre. That’s demographically where the readers are.
How do you define success as an author?
A good book that people tell me they enjoy reading. That’s enough.
A Sgt. Windflower Christmas Mystery, Book 2
From the author of the Award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mysteries including Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries Book 1, comes another welcome addition to the Sgt. Windflower family of books.
Come sit by the fire of the woodstove in the kitchen and listen to stories of Christmas long ago in Grand Bank and Ramea and tales of great adventure and Christmas magic in St. John’s in the 1960s and onward. Have Christmas dinner with Sgt. Windflower and Sheila and their two little girls. Then wait and see if any special visitors show up to entertain them.
About Your Work
What type of content do you write and why? Fiction Novels? Poems? Songs? Screenplays? Short
Stories? Epic?
I write a light mystery series set on the east coast of Canada
How many works have you published?
I have published 12 books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series and 2 Christmas books
Can you tell us a bit about your most recent publication?
Christmas in Newfoundland 2 is a trip down Christmas memory lane and a great way to kick off the most wonderful season of all.
What was your first goal when you started your journey to becoming an author? Has that changed?
I have always written for myself and will continue to do so. Some people will like it and some others may not.
Have you always read in the genre you wanted to write in? Do you think that’s made it easier or
harder to create new stories?
That’s interesting because I have always been a sci-fi kind of reader. But my partner is a mystery fan. She introduced me to the mystery genre and I found my writing home there.
What is your writing process, from idea to polished work? Pantster? Plotter? How long does that
typically take you?
I am a pantser and it takes me about 3 months to get the first draft.
Where do you network most with other writers, authors, and creative types? LinkedIn? Wattpad?
Twitter? Facebook? Somewhere else?
I connect with other writers through the Crime Writers of Canada and on Twitter and Facebook
Do you sprint-write like a starving cheetah, or are you a totally chill turtle writer? Somewhere in
between?
I write about 1500 words a day 5 days a week until I am finished the first draft.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for those who want to go the final step and become
authors?
I would recommend to read as much as you can and especially read books by successful writers on how they did it. Stephen King has a great book called On Writing.
Fun Stuff
Where do you write your stories? A tiny office? A loft? The kitchen table? In the bushes while you
secretly people-watch like a total creeper? Or a warm café with mocha in hand and feet up on an
ottoman?
I can write anywhere there is a quiet space. But I prefer my own little writing desk the best of all.
What is your favorite writing snack and drink?
Coffee and more coffee
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Keep writing and don’t worry about the process or the outcome.
