This week the blog hoop is all about: How do you stay creative? How do you feed your muse? What tips and tricks do you recommend to stay in the creative zone?

I wish I could tell you I have a magic candle or a special chair and the moment I light it or sit in it, I’m transported to a place where my muse is singing loud and proud.

Alas, that is not the case.

Some days are very hard. Some days I have to give myself a break. Then there are days when I have to push through the tough spot and fix it later.

Writing is an art but it’s also a job. A lot goes into being a career writer. Besides writing there’s writing this blog or posting on social media or working on covers with a cover artist.

So when my muse is being stubborn, I work on some other aspect of book publishing.

However, I do have a few tricks for when I really want to or have to write. Sometimes a lovely candle does help. The ritual of sitting down, lighting it, setting the mood, and making a fuss is often a good way to stir up some inspiration. Another thing I do is change location. The desk in my office can be stifling if I’ve been sitting there all day doing the “business” of being an author. If I go in the living room, move to a recliner, or in good weather go write out on the porch, it helps.

New location = New mindset.

My best trick is to ask a friend. If you’ve never sprinted with a friend, you should give it a try. I have a good friend that writes with me often. I live in Missouri and she lives in Texas, but we set a time to text and meet up. We set a 30-minute timer and write. Then we check in to see how each of us is doing. We usually do this 3-4 times in a day and sometimes 5 days a week. It’s very inspirational to be accountable.

Last: Don’t be too hard on yourself. Life can get in the way. Keep at it. If you write ten words today, great, and if you write five thousand, awesome. Just keep moving forward.

Hop back if you missed Brenda Margriet.

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Keep hopping for Jill Haymaker

Check out Remember Christmas!

Seasonal romance readers will love Remember Christmas, a heartwarming holiday romance which proves you are never too old to fall in love.

When Grace and Albert both end up in Aspen Ridge Assisted Living facility, they are convinced that they were put there to shrivel up and die. That is until long-forgotten sparks fly between them, and they discover that romance can be alive and fulfilling at any age.