Want to Be a Better Writer? Try Running

I am a writer. I am a runner. And those two are interminably linked in mind. And my soul. And my heart. Being a runner makes me a better writer. And, being a writer, makes me a better runner. (Even though that’s not the really the point.)

I’ve been a writer since . . . well, forever.

I’ve be a runner for a much shorter period of time. I wasn’t what you’d call ahtletic is high school. I danced, did gymnastics, and played some tennis. But I hated gym class. And I really hated running. Ugh_the dreaded mile.

For years I said, “I can’t run.” And I had a million excuses why–from asthma to a bum knee to bad allergies. But the truth is, I just didn’t want to run.

It’s no coincidence that about the time I became serious about running is also the time I became serious about writing.

Half-marathon motivation

Almost ten years ago (yikes!?!) a friend roped me into signing up for a half-marathon I had run occassionally in the past. But I was not a “runner”. I ran when the sun was shining and the temperature was between 55 and 70 degrees. And I was feeling rested and motivated to run. My longest run was about four miles. Thirteen point one seemed like an imposisible feat.

But for some reason I agree to do the race.

Every time I laced up my shoes that summer and hit the pavement, I cursed her.

But I did it. Every day. All summer. I ran and ran and ran.

Patience and persistence

And slowly, I became a better runner. I got a little bit stronger every day. A little bit faster. I’d run a little bit further.

I didn’t run all thirteen miles on the first day. Or even in the first week or the first month. But I didn’t have to.

It tooks weeks and weeks of training for me to cross that finish line. But I did it. Through hard work and dedication.

Writing is the same way. You don’t become a better writer overnight. You don’t get your first byline in the New Yorker or sell your first novel on the first try. Heck, you probably won’t even finish your story on your first attempt. But first drafts are supposed to stink. That’s what rewrites are for. And with every rejection you are one step closer to success.

Writing, like running is a process. If you want to be a better writer, you need patience and persistence. You need to put in the work every day. Even when it feels hard. Or boring. (Think listening to the same play list for the 88th time during a training run boring).

But all those little efforts add up, And in time, if you stick with it, you will be a better writer. And you will achieve your writing goals.

Cultivate helpful habits

The more I traiend, the more I realized the imporance of building good habits. Things like nutrition and hydration and a good night’s sleep becasme super important to me. I learned that if made the time to stretch and do yoga and foam roll, my runs would be much easier.

These healthy habits weren’t running. But they made me a better runner.

The same is true with writing. If you want to be a better writer, you need to develop helpful habits. Things like reading more. And honing your observation skills. Learning how to be present in the moment. Reading craft books or watching YouTube videos. Finding a writing group.

Thee things aren’t writing, per se. But they will make you a better writer.

You also need to some soul searching and figure out what you need to be most creative. And take care of yourself.

And spoiler alert . . . the things you shouls be doing aren’t that much different than the habits that are good for running. We all see the picture of the starving writer, staying up all night to finish her manuscript. Living off of nothing but coffee or bourbon and cigareets.

But that is not the truth. Or at the very least, it is not sustainable. If you want to be a better writer you need to take care of yourself. Eat, hydrate, sleep. And move your body.

You can do hard things

Running is hard. It makes your heart race, breath rasp, and your knees hurt. And even though it does get better, there are still tough days. Days when running two miles feels like torture. Days when my pace is a crawl. Days when the pain shoots up your hamstring and you double over with a stitch in your side.

After ten years of running regularly, it feels like this shouldn’t be the case. But it is. Some days just suck.

But there is nothing better the feeling of crossing the finish line. Or achieving a new PR. Or running farther than you’ve ever run before.

Accomplishing a running goal make you feel strong. Invicible. Confident.

And you need confidence if you want to be a better writer. beacsue writing is hard.

here are days whenthe words won’t come, when the story gets stuck, when you have nothing to say. Days when the editor hates your work or you get your three hundredth rejection letter.

But if you want to be be better writer, you need to shake off the bad days and start fresh every day. And keep going even when it hurts.

Knowing you can do hard things helps with this.

Time to think

Finally, and in this case I did save the best for last. Or at the least the most important. Running gives you time to think. Time to escaep from the every day. Time to lose yourself in the rhythm of your feet or focus on your breathing.

And a writer is nothing without ideas. If you want to be a better writer you need to consistently make time to think. To imagine, To create.

I always run solo. It’s my me-time. My time to decompress. To let off steam. And most importantly, to think.

I do so much writing on my runs. Crafting conversations, rewriting scences. All as my feet carry me forward. Most of the time I just repeate the same words over and over, like a mantra, until I get home and can record them. But if I come up with something particuarly brilliant I’ll stop and leave myself a voice memo so I don’t lose it.

The mental clarity that comes from writing might help you be a better writer too.

Happy Writing (and maybe running)!