I thought this looked like a fun and interesting tag when I saw it over on Nell Iris’s blog so I’m swiping it. Nell discovered it on our mutual friend, Amy Tasukada’s YouTube channel, and it was originally posted by Alexandra Roselyn on her YouTube channel. The links go straight to their fall writing tag posts, so be sure to check out those, too!

Crunching Leaves – The Perfect Sound. What do you like listening to while writing?

Quiet is good, but instrumental music that fits the mood of the scene I’m working on is even better. Kind of like what might be playing in the background of a good emotional movie scene…you’re not always conscious of its presence, but it helps put the movie watcher in the right frame of mind. Of course, the reader won’t be listening, so I use it to help me write the words that will (hopefully) fully convey that mood.

I think more often than not I go for quiet, but will have a tune running through my head while writing a scene. I’ve gotten quite a lot of mileage out of Adagio for Strings.

Hot Bubbling Cider – What’s your favorite thing to eat or drink while writing?

While I often eat a meal at the computer, I find it too distracting to do while writing. I always have a glass of my favorite beverage at the ready, though. Every morning I fill a pitcher with my goal of 72 oz of water, add a few squirts of electrolytes and a splash of lemon juice, then I pour from that all day long. I’m a caffeine weeny, and don’t drink coffee, tea, or soda pop.

Bon Fires – The Perfect Night. Name your perfect writing conditions or your perfect writing night.

First off, I’m more of a morning person and, while there are exceptions, I don’t usually write later in the evening. So my perfect setting would be daytime when I have no outside obligations to pull me away. Although I will always want…need…some distractions to get up and deal with throughout the day to mix it up and give my brain a break. Otherwise, since my setup gives me a view of my backyard, a dreary day outside is probably more likely to keep me from “looking” for distractions.

Pumpkin Spiced Latte – Something you used to like but now don’t.

Hmm…writing/reading-wise? I used to like more in the way of detail in a romance story’s intimate scenes. Now, I’d rather see the relationship develop (including some intimacy is fine) but take the more graphic details behind closed doors or gloss them over with the writing style.

Halloween – A favorite holiday! Your favorite part of writing a novel.

That’s a tough one. How about the research (and world-building for non-contemporary stories)? I’m a detail-oriented logical person, so I like things to be correct and to make sense. It feels great once I’ve got things worked out to my satisfaction.

Monsters & Goblins – What terrifies you most while writing/drafting a novel?

The thought that I’ll never be able to convey the emotions like I’m feeling them in my head.

Hay Rides- A Bumpy Ride – What do you do to get over a writers block or get inspired?

Work on a different story. I used to only work on one at a time, telling myself I wouldn’t be able to focus otherwise. But I’ve found that having multiple WiPs going at the same time works out better for my overall productivity. If one story isn’t speaking to me, or I haven’t decided how I’m going to handle the next scene, I can pick up something else and work on it in the meantime.

Haunted Houses – World Building. What are some tips you have on crafting the perfect world?

Certainly I’ve enjoyed many stories even when I’ve been left with many questions about how a paranormal society either does or doesn’t interact with the humans in their world, etc. But to an extent, it still gnaws at me. So for me, when I took a foray into the paranormal, I paid attention to detail and asked myself questions and then was sure to address them. Example: will the humans in this world know that my vampires exist or not? If so, are they accepted? What are issues that have to be dealt with? If not, how do they maintain their secrecy in these modern times of identification keeping track of people. Whatever the world being created—paranormal, sci-fi, pure fantasy—my best tip would be to make it come alive with detail, but also make sure to address the questions that are likely to be raised.

Pumpkins – It all starts with a pumpkin! Do your story ideas start with characters, plots, setting or something else?

I think I’ve done all of the above for different stories. Ultimately the characters drive the story, but sometimes a fun idea happens first, or a world starts building in my mind and I come up with a story and characters to fit. Other times intriguing characters develop first and I’m left thinking up a story that would work good for them.

Ghost Stories – Share a spooky writing prompt!

At the same time every day, a recently purchased second-hand rocking chair starts rocking, then mysteriously stops precisely six minutes and twenty seconds later.