Writing is Long Distance Running

I was out running the other day and came to a downhill grade. It was nice to cruise along feeling comfortable – much easier than going up hill. I wished my writing was this easy on a regular basis. I also wished I was ~~running~~ writing the NaNoWriMo in November.

Then it hit me, running isn’t constantly easy and neither is writing. Like running, writing has uphill challenges as well as other. With running you might face rain, heat, snow, wind or any combination of these conditions. When writing I face any number of difficulties that challenge what I’m doing from distractions of various forms to keeping up with the business of writing to discouragement over what I’m doing.

So if writing and running are similar in that challenges constantly abound, how should I approach writing in regard to running? For those who reading and are runners you already get this. Running is simple but requires both some planning and positive mindset. Runners often plan the schedule, mileage, pace, type of training and many other details.

Competitive runners (and even those of us who run races for our own benefit otherwise) also plan their race strategy. Yes, there is a strategy to running a distance race. Check out the first American 10,000 meter Olympic champion Billy Mills in the 1964 Olympics. He ran behind for much of the race and then edged up later before finishing with incredible burst. When it came to the last push he was ready and finished with an amazing final kick to the finish. He had a strategy that he executed to perfection. Interestingly, no American even medaled in the event until Galen Rupp finished second to his training partner, Mo Farah of Great Britain, by only hundredths of a second. Both men had similar race plans and beat heavy favorites from other countries.

Writing is the same way. As a writer on a long project you must have a plan to accomplish your goal of finishing the book and publication. Overall, you must be willing to meet constant challenges and retain your morale through these to finish this “race”.

I’m not taking part in NaNoWriMo this year since I’m working on other projects but I have written the largest part of a novel’s first draft in a month. It is a marathon that is challenging. When next I attempt this I will have a plan that is more than how many words I intend to write per day. I will plan ahead with an outline, character sketches, plot lines (and write to them) and many other details.

My hat’s off to those who are starting the writing marathon in just a few days. I wish you all well. Get your sleep, plan for it and stretch for the goal and then enjoy the accomplishment. Run strong, far and finish with strength, speed and determination.

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Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenges? I’d love to hear from you so won’t you leave a question, idea or strategy in the comment section? I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today!

Thanks for reading!

PHS