An Interview with Mike Wells *** ‘Unputdownable Thrillers’
Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?
A. I like to write outside if the weather is warm enough, which is one reason I live most of the year in Cyprus. I usually write on our veranda, or at an outdoor cafe by the beach. I like to move around to different places, keeps things stirred up.
Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)
A. No. Those kinds of things (IMO) can turn into excuses not to write, I broke myself of anything like that a long time ago. I’m generally a very flexible and adaptable person, don’t get dependent much on physical elements like that.
Q. Could you tell us something about yourself that we might not already know?
A. I can’t throw up. I know that’s kind of gross, but it’s true. I never have and don’t think I ever will. Don’t know why. I suppose
on some level I have to keep everything I take in. I don’t know what that means.
Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?
A. If I only wrote when I was feeling creative (which is about once a month), I would never finish a book. I like to write in the morning, when my mind is clear, before I start thinking about a lot of other things, which tends to interfere with my losing myself in the story. I write for 3-5 hours every day but take off Sundays and some Saturdays. Otherwise, I burn out.
Q. What’s your best advice to other writers for overcoming procrastination?
A. I don’t really believe in procrastination per se–it’s what’s underneath that counts, which is usually just a fear of not being able to do it, or do it well, or being criticized, or a zillion other reasons. Or, simply not wanting to write badly enough–no solid motivation. Writers who procrastinate need to ask themselves why, try to get to the bottom of it. Sometimes people can try to make themselves do things they really, deep down, don’t want to do. Writing a book seems to be something that virtually every American has on his/her bucket list, just “because.” If you really don’t want to do it, then don’t, because procrastination creates a lot of stress. Everybody is not meant to be a writer. Only a tiny fraction of the population can do it well, and it takes years of learning and development.
Q. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?
A. Yes every day, the whole time I’m doing it.
Q. Who or what is your “Muse” at the moment ?
A. I guess my wife is. She is my story editor and always my first reader, so I am usually thinking of how she will react when I’m writing. Mostly worrying about what she will cut. 🙂
Q. When did you begin to write seriously?
A. About 30 years ago, when I was, well, about 30.
Q. How long after that were you published?………..
Don’t miss Part 2 of this entertaining Interview December 6th
FREE e-book: http://mikewellsblog.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS featuring INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS!
To receive my posts sign up for my 
On the home page, enter your email address. Thanks!
So unusual to have the words successful and self-publishing together! Gives me hope!