Follow Up Questions on Istikhara

I have attempted to do istikhara regarding marriage and was unable to get some sort of dream or "feeling" as people commonly say. You had responded that one should do istikhara 7 times. Is this 7 times in a row? Also when is an appropriate time to perform istikhara? Some places I have read after isha, others after fajr. What is advisable? Must one also memorize the duaa or is it ok to read it from a book? It would be very helpful to me if you could perhaps provide elaboration on the correct manner in which to perform istikhara.

Walaikum assalam,
1. 7 times on separate occasions. When possible, on separate nights (e.g. for big non-urgent issues);
2. Any time, but after isha, before sleep is best.
3. After fajr??? It is not permitted to pray anything after the fard of fajr except makeup prayers until sunrise. And after fajr time comes in, one only prays 2 rakats of the sunna of fajr. All other prayers (including the prayer of greeting the masjid) are disliked, besides the fard of fajr itself, until sunrise.
4. It is best to memorize the dua, and to actually be ASKING Allah with it, not just reading it out or merely SAYING it. Allah's turning to one is commensurate to one's turning to Him.
5. The best way to know how the istikhara prayer works is to pray it regularly, for big and small specific matters and for general guidance. It becomes a knack, the scholars say.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani.