We’ve all been there, staring at a page, thoughts tying themselves in knots as we try to figure out what comes next in the story—or how to even start it in the first place. When it comes to making progress in our writing, we often hear the adage, “Apply butt to chair and just write.†Oftentimes this is a good approach, especially for those of us who have perfected the fine art of distracting ourselves.
But sometimes, when we’re struggling to get over a particular hump in our story, it can actually help to get that butt out of the chair and put it in motion!
(No, I’m not talking about twerking. Hush.) 
I’m talking about getting a little exercise. Physical activity.
I know, to some folks, that sounds about as exciting as line-editing a 200,000 word novel, but hear me out.
How many of you already go on walks in order to noodle over a particularly troublesome plot point? How many of you have enjoyed the creative rush of finally figuring out how your character is going to save the day while you’re strolling through your neighborhood? And if any of you do visit the gym or have workout classes on a regular basis, have you noticed that you’re coming up with new ideas and having to jot them down in the middle of a routine?
I bet you have. See, you don’t have to turn your brain off while working out. In fact, when you exercise, you get a lot of mental benefits alongside the physical ones. Stress levels lower. Focus heightens. And while you may not be consciously thinking about your story while on an elliptical or bike, you can bet your subconscious is nibbling away at it, preparing to surprise you with a creative solution.
The great thing is, it can be as simple as going on a walk. It can be a yoga class. It could be a treadmill desk (like mine). There are lots of easy ways to slip a little physical activity into your daily routine without it being daunting or an actual distraction from the writing itself. Experiment a little and find the activity you enjoy that gets your blood pumping, and then aim to make it part of your daily or weekly routine for a month and see if your writing productivity responds in any positive way. 
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about how writing and exercise can dovetail, you can check out my Write Strong blog series. It covers quite a wide variety of health and fitness topics, relating them to the writing lifestyle. (Some of you may have even been guest bloggers during it, already recognizing how a little exercise can go a long way in boosting your writing.
So…butt-in-chair isn’t working for you right now? Let’s take a walk and see what words we can find along the way.
Josh Vogt has been published in dozens of genre markets with work ranging from flash fiction to short stories to doorstopper novels that cover fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, pulp, and more. His debut fantasy novel, Forge of Ashes, adds to the RPG Pathfinder Tales tie-in line. WordFire Press is also launching his urban fantasy series, The Cleaners, with Enter the Janitor (2015) and The Maids of Wrath (2016). You can find him at JRVogt.com or on Twitter @JRVogt. He’s a member of SFWA as well as the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
Comments are closed.