#StoryCrafter A6: It's one of the main reasons I compile the list of writing prompts, in the hopes that it might help me or any other writerly persons.

Thanks for hosting #StoryCrafter this week!

A7: No. Not unless you count putting on headphones and logging into my writing group on Zoom. And that's only when they're meeting. #StoryCrafter

A lot of writing (if your goal is to be published) is editing anyway. If you're writing for yourself it doesn't have to be perfect, and if you're writing to be published it doesn't have to be perfect either because you're going to edit it. #StoryCrafter

A6: Part of it probably depends on why you are having problems. If you don't know what to work on, develop a roadmap to your goals. If you have trouble finding words, for me, I like to imagine scenes. I probably do more of that than actually typing. #StoryCrafter

Thanks for being here! I’m off to make the niece and nephew some lunch then back to writing. Have a great week, all, and best of luck with the projects this month! #StoryCrafter

The right group helps. I was in a different group before the pandemic & we were supposed to write a chapter a week & the goal was just to write a book; it wasn't aligning with my goals. The one I'm with now the members have a goal of getting agented and published. #StoryCrafter

A5: It's been a long time since I've been regularly writing and not editing, but I have been. Sometimes I get in that state when editing. Right now I'm rewriting a chapter and I haven't gotten there yet; I need to visualize where I want to be with it exactly. #StoryCrafter

A7. I do that all the time. I’m generally in love with life and I get pretty whimsical. There’s something nice about taking the time to get a nice candle with a scent that makes you think of your WIP. Or building a playlist with just the perfect songs for your lead. #StoryCrafter

#StoryCrafter A7: If I do, it's usually just putting on my noise-canceling headphones with some instrumental music as background.

I literally have years when I don't get much done. I'm doing well now though. I think it's helping me to have my writing group because there's accountability, I set aside a designated time to write, and there's a lot of support, motivation and education available. #StoryCrafter

Q7. Do you ever set the scene for yourself when you write? I.e., use candles, lighting, or mood music? #StoryCrafter

A4a: WIth the book my niece is beta reading for me I'm within the target word count to send out. The book I'm currently editing I need to add between 10,000 and 30,000 words. 2/2 #StoryCrafter

A6. Read a lot. Take five minutes a day to just write about anything. Journal. Write a silly little poem. Find something to make you happy. Be in the moment with your work too. It’s just words on a page and it doesn’t have to be anything but that right now. #StoryCrafter

A4: Since I'm editing I don't have word counts. I work during writing group so about an hour or two? Sometimes I work outside of that. Sometimes when editing I gain a couple hundred words, sometimes I lose. 1/2 #StoryCrafter

Thanks! It’s been a long time building up to that and I know how to set the mood and get myself writing a lot easier now. Really it’s just a lot of little tricks to get me focusing and setting the mood with the music and all. #StoryCrafter

They're in the same universe but they're separate. Next story I plan to write takes place in the same year as the one I'm now editing (different country though), so that's one of the reasons I'm giving this story an edit, as I need to reacquaint myself w/the story. #StoryCrafter

Q6. Do you have tips or tricks for struggling writers? What do you do when the words just won’t go? #StoryCrafter

#StoryCrafter A5: It has been known to happen although I think the last time was about 3 months back. Still, it's wonderful when it happens.