Walking over your work

Do you ever find yourself inside a writing spiral?

Sometimes we are so busy at being productive, that we lose sight of what is really important, our goals, our hopes, and how to obtain them. We are operating in a literary fog. There are times we need to take a step back and view our writing in a new light.

A great way to do this is to walk over your work.

Yes, you read that right. I am an advocate for walking on a daily basis. Now, before you stop reading and think, this is not for me, give me another chance. I’m not talking about doing a marathon. A simple short walk can benefit your writing.

Let me tell you why you benefit.

As you walk, your endorphins burst open like little rays of feel-good bubbles, causing you to feel better about yourself. When you feel better about yourself, you are more productive. When you’re more productive, you are able to create stronger prose.

But that’s not the only thing about walking that can help your muse. Walking is a great way to exercise (I know, I used to loathe that word once) and tone up those wayward muscles. Studies prove how healthy walking briskly is. But wait, there is more!

There is a spiritual side to taking a daily walk that can bring value to your writing. When you pray as you walk—prayers for yourself and for others—your world opens up. As you talk with God, you feel his presence. And what could be more affirming than to be in the presence of the Creator of Creativity?

To make your walk more effective, here are some tips.

Feet—Start your walk with a good pair of tennis shoes that fit. If they are too small or large, the discomfort of your feet will steal from your experience. Since your feet are doing the work, make sure they are happy.

Clothing—Perhaps, like me, you’ve been inside pounding on your computer all morning and have not been outside. Since yesterday was cool, you dress for your walk in a jacket and long-sleeved T-shirt. You head outside and immediately feel hot. Check the weather before walking so that you are wearing clothing suited for the temperature. Loose clothing works well.

Thanks and Praise—Once you have your pace set, and filled your lungs with fresh air, look around you. Hopefully, there are some trees or flowers, and you can start by thanking God for the beauty he has created. Move on to praise him for who he is. Thank him for giving you the desire to create and inspire through the written word.

Ask—Of course, you have questions you want to pose to him. They could consist of Why can’t I be published more? Or why can’t my writing make more money? If you are in the middle of a project, you might want to ask him to help you think clearly, come up with a new idea, a fresh market to pitch your work to, etc.

Expect—I was once praying over a sticky situation that involved my agent and lo and behold, right there on my walk, my agent called! The conversation went well, clearing up the situation. Never doubt that God will answer your prayers either on your walk or later. Expect God to bring you solutions for a difficult scene or plot, realistic dialogue, and a vibrant and renewed joy in your writing.

If you’ve read this far, I hope it’s because you are ready to embark on allowing a daily walk to benefit your creativity. You can start with walking three times a week for about twenty minutes and then increase to walking five to seven days a week over the course of the next months. Increase your time as well, building up so you walk about forty-five minutes (three miles) every day.

I also hope that your time of walking and praying over your work will make you a more prolific writer!

Until next time,
Alice

[First published at Christian Work at Home Moms]