Moving Forward

When I was in high school, I ran on the Cross Country team. In Cross Country we ran five kilometer races (that's just over 3 miles). I guess it's not a long race compared to an ultra marathon, but 3 miles is plenty long for me.

I've found there are many comparisons that can be made between distance running and writing. Both are endurance events, both require dedication, and a little bit of insanity. Here are a few more.

Beware of the rabbits: 

At the beginning of the race, there were almost always runners who we called rabbits. Rabbits were runners who started out at a dead sprint. Sometimes they were just inexperienced runners, but sometimes they were sprinting on purpose to mess with our heads. What happens in a race, when you're competitive, is that you want to win. So when someone else is running faster than you, you might be tempted to feel bad, compare yourself to them, or even try to beat them. Don't be fooled.

Here's what always happened in the races - the inexperienced runners would try to keep up with the rabbits. The'd disappear around the first corner. And then they'd reappear on the second or third stretch, then I'd pass them.

Healthy competition can help you improve. But when you're writing, you've always got to go at your own pace. I'm sure you've met a writer (or someone working on another project) who started out strong and then just stopped. When you're writing, learn your pace. Push yourself with your goals, but beware of setting unobtainable goals that will discourage you. Don't be afraid to ignore the rabbits and write at your own pace. Just make sure you write.

Keep Your Eyes Fixed:

Another thing about long distance races is that they're long. If I started thinking about the ending, (e.g. "I will be sooo happy when I'm finished.") then I would often find it harder to motivate myself. I'd find myself thinking more along the lines of, "It's sooo far," and I'd be tempted to give up. If, on the other hand, instead of looking at the end goal I concentrated about 50 yards in front of me, then I always knew that I could make it. Even if I'm tired I can force myself to run 50 yards.

In writing, we sometimes get caught up in wanting to be finished. Sometimes that can distract us from where we are now. I like to set checkpoints for myself. In fact, before I write I sit down and mentally prepare myself just for the scene that I'm writing. I forget the end of the story (not really) and concentrate on something I know I can write. Like many of you, I've got a full time job. I work all day and only get about 1 hour to write on weekdays. If I am always concentrating on the cool thing that will happen in chapter 34 or wishing that I could just be done, then I start to lose my nerve. Instead, I periodically check in with my end goals while focusing on the immediate scene or arc that I'm working on right now. I have confidence in my writing ability. When I get to chapter 34, I'm confident I'll be able to handle it. But right now I'm on chapter 5 and I need to write it before I can get to chapter 34. (Exception: Sometimes I actually do write chapters ahead of where I am if they are so compelling that I can't get them out of my mind. I write them, and then when I get back to that point in my regular writing, I use what I've written and adapt it to any changes I may have made along the way.) Don't look too far ahead. Be aware of your ultimate goals, but remember to keep your eyes fixed on the next thing.

Don't Give Up:

Last of all, writing is hard. There's a saying, "It takes ten years to become an overnight success." Most writers write for many years before they get published. There are exceptions, but no matter what it's a lot of work. Running a distance race it's easy to get discouraged. Your body is tired. Your muscles want to stop working. And mentally you are at your limit. Think of your writing as a master's degree. You've got to refine your talent, hone your skills, and get tons of words out on paper. Put in the work. Try to get to the end soon if you can. But don't get discouraged. Writing, like running, takes determination. Don't give up. Even if you're not going as fast as you wanted. Even if you have to stop running and walk. Keep moving forward. In the end that's the only way to finish a race or a book.