What do you do to psyche yourself up? happytales.substack.com #WritingCommunity #writers

Bowing to the Stick God. Wouldn't it be nice if life (and settling on what to write next) were so simple? #WritingCommunity #writing

What do you do while you're waiting for inspiration for a new story? I go back to my finished writing projects and revise/query them some more ... and some more. #WritingCommunity #writing

Does your age have anything to do with what you write? open.substack.com/pub/happytal... #WritingCommunity #writing

I don't even know for sure what genre this book is (literary? mystery?), but Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy is so well-written and compelling. What's your favorite book these days? #writingcommunity #writing

What do you do to get the creative juices flowing again? #writing #writingcommunity open.substack.com/pub/happytal...

I wish I could put music into words. Listening to the International Chopin Piano Competition has inspired me once again to try. #WritingCommunity #writing

Do you write nonstop for hours, or do you take lots of little breaks? I do the latter. My favorite way to recharge at the moment is to watch some videos from the 19th International Chopin Competition. A little tension plus a lot of gorgeous music = perfection! #WritingCommunity #writing

On another calm, gorgeous day, my story-telling soul can't help but think this means disaster looms ahead. Perfection forever would be boring, right? #WritingCommunity #writing

When all the world's asleep, do you read ... or write? I start with reading, but after awhile, I find myself at the computer and there's my WIP, still open from yesterday. It's inevitable. #WritingCommunity #writing

In the end, any good story is about change. open.substack.com/pub/happytal... #writing #WritingCommunity

Are you ready to write or play? Or -- wait a minute -- maybe those aren't so different after all. #WritingCommunity #writing #writers open.substack.com/pub/happytal...

happytales.substack.com/p/the-dog-da... #writingcommunity #writing #writers

How do you do it? I really want to know! open.substack.com/pub/happytal... #writing #writingcommunity #writers

Is there a secret path to happiness? #WritingCommunity #writers open.substack.com/pub/happytal...

From buoyant hope to abject despair, and back again ... such is the life of an aspiring writer. #WritingCommunity #amquerying

Just live your life - no excuses! happytales.substack.com/p/life-never... #writingcommunity #writing

I love nothing so much as having a piece of my work to edit, to sit and puzzle over until its meaning becomes clear. #WritingCommunity #writing

When I have to shift gears between writing, revising, & querying, I feel as if I'm leaving the warm house to brave the frozen wind. Anyone else have a tough time with this? happytales.substack.com/p/nothing-bu...

FINISHED! And now the fun begins (revision #1 of MG novel #9). Good thing I love editing. #WritingCommunity #writing

Hey, if I can do this, so can you! happytales.substack.com/p/are-you-re... #WritingCommunity #amwriting

The irrepressible nature of hope means: I always forget it's still winter in February. But the good thing about that is: it's easy to hunker down and write! #WritingCommunity #writing

When you get stuck writing a scene, do you: 1. Give up on that story altogether? 2. Sit there for hours trying to figure it out? 3. Do something else for a bit? #3 for me. A solution always surfaces while I'm outside. And oh, doesn't that feel good! #WritingCommunity #writing

What can't you live without? (writing, anyone?) open.substack.com/pub/happytal... #WritingCommunity #writing

The cold hard truth of the new year is that there are no more excuses to keep me from my WIP. Anyone else getting ready to take the plunge? #WritingCommunity #writing

Do your drafts usually come out too long, too short, or just right? Mine are usually in the just-right to too-long range. Nothing a little editing can't fix! #WritingCommunity #writing

Everyone needs somebody to love! happytales.substack.com/p/the-endles... #WritingCommunity #writing

Simply by posting, we are writers. It takes seeing a poem, essay, or story through to completion that makes us authors. Persevere, Future Authors! #WritingCommunity #writing

No matter how much I plan out my characters in advance, the actual writing of the story proves I didn't know them as well as I thought. But that's what makes it fun, right? #WritingCommunity #writing

In distressing times, what do YOU do? #WritingCommunity #writing happytales.substack.com/p/the-cave

What's your number one reason for getting on social media? Mine is the #WritingCommunity. So nice to know there are others pushing themselves along in this tough endeavor. #writing

Everyone says to query 100 times before giving up ... but really? How do you keep your hopes up? I find myself moving on to another project after about 25 queries. #WritingCommunity #amquerying

If you're surrounded by chaos, then this post is for you: happytales.substack.com/p/the-power-... #WritingCommunity #writing

Do your first drafts end up with a word count that's skimpy, excessive, or just right? Mine are usually pretty good, but they always grow during editing & eventually must be trimmed. #WritingCommunity #writing

My latest solution for middle-of-the-night insomnia: Put an audiobook on low volume so you have to strain to hear it. It's kind of like trying to focus on driving at night - the more you try, the sleepier you feel. What works for you? #WritingCommunity #writing

Do you find more reason to write when you're out in the world or when you're home? I find inspiration and new POV perspectives from traveling, but truthfully? I need to be home, alone, and glued to my desk to get any real writing done. #WritingCommunity #writing

Ever wondered whether you have what it takes to survive being a writer? Read my Substack to find out! happytales.substack.com/p/the-number... #WritingCommunity #writing

When you get a rejection, do you: 1. Think about giving up? 2. Take a break from querying? 3. Wad it up & try again? I do all of those - in that order. #writingcommunity #amquerying

Oh, to be in the flow. There's nothing better. #WritingCommunity #writing

Sinking into a long-neglected WIP is like wrapping oneself in a blanket on a cold night. Warm, comforting, and just right. #WritingCommunity #writing

Do you focus afar ... or up close? Writing requires both! happytales.substack.com/p/walk-with-... #writingcommunity #writing

If you're having trouble finding an agent, are you: 1. thinking of self-publishing? 2. planning to keep querying until you die? 3. going to give up and simply write for yourself? ...or something else? #WritingCommunity #writing

For me, writing is like painting a house: lots of time & attention devoted to prep so that when I'm ready to open the can and dip in the brush, the words will flow. #WritingCommunity #writing

Do your political views surface in your writing? Mine do not overtly, but they're always present as an undercurrent. I don't think I could write stories that are true to myself otherwise. #WritingCommunity #writing

You can only remain catatonic for so long... Visit my substack post to find out how to break your writing inertia! happytales.substack.com/p/getting-ba... #WritingCommunity #writing

Ahh. Returning to my manuscript is like getting to scratch a very strong, persistent itch. #WritingCommunity #writing

Re-reading after revisions: I read the whole thing, then read it again aloud while recording myself, then listen to the recording. Then re-read again to make sure any changes work. So ... 4x at least! How about you? #WritingCommunity #writing

At what point do you write a synopsis? 1. Before the first draft 2. In the middle of drafts 3. After everything is as close to perfect as you can get it? I go with #2 almost every time. It will change again, but helps me spot plot weaknesses. #WritingCommunity #writing

Do you make your characters sweat in the heat or freeze in the cold - or physically suffer in another way? Since I'm almost always cold, mine are usually shivering and trying to find another layer to wear. #WritingCommunity #writing

Do you ever feel a gnawing, urgent hunger to get back into your manuscript? It's something no chocolate bars can satisfy, only words. #WritingCommunity #writing