Writing with Your Feet: the Creative Power of Running

Written by Abigail Beard

You might be wondering why we’re talking about running in a writing blog post. I mean, this is a writing blog, not a fitness blog, right?

Yes!

Exercise, particularly running and yoga, strongly affect our ability to write for the better, and as writers, we all need to be aware of ways to improve our writing skills while maintaining our physical and mental health.

Plenty of famous authors and writers engage in some form of running or walking—among them are Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Malcolm Gladwell, Frederich Nietzsche, and Henry David Thoreau—and for all of them, running improves their writing or helps them push past writer’s block and sticky writing places. Even if you aren’t seeking a profession in writing, you are a writer for your classes, and you might benefit from reading a little further.

Why running and yoga?

When stuck on a problem, one of the best solutions is to do something physically active. This allows our brains to rest from their mental work and forces us to concentrate on our physical bodies, and it’s an effective solution to facing a mental block for several reasons.

We often develop writing ideas while doing something physical, such as exercising, crafting, or even gardening.

Physical activity offers a mental break from writing or creative activity, letting our subconscious work behind the scenes or just take a break! This is the main reason so many authors, journalists, and creative-minded people say they go for a walk or run while working on a project, and many of them say they get that “Aha!” moment (what I like to call a pop-up toaster solution–when an idea that’s been cooking for a while suddenly pops to the forefront of our consciousness) while in the middle of a run.

TWU’s very own Dr. Jacquelyn Elliott, Interim Director of the First-Year Composition Program, has researched this subject and divides her conclusions into two groups:

1. Generative knowers: people who generate writing ideas when running
2. Restorative knowers: people who use exercise as a “lubricating effect” on the brain, enhancing its work afterward

For those who set out on a run or a walk with the purpose of generating ideas, Dr. Elliott suggests that it’s helpful having a background in meditation to better filter out distractions and let wayward thoughts come and go. This helps generative knowers stay on track and focus completely on the action of creating. However, this shouldn’t stop you from walking and running if you don’t have a background in meditation! Running and walking will still help you sink into another mental state and “clear away the cobwebs”⁴ before you return to your writing.

Vigorous exercise, such as going for a run, a brisk walk, or doing a vinyasa sequence (a faster-paced type of yoga that links movement to the breath) pumps blood to our brains, helping them work more effectively. 

Loudin, a Washington Post contributor and avid runner, writes, “running requires a high level of physical activity; writing calls for a high level of cerebral activity,” and the additional “oxygen-rich” blood going to our brains during exercise boosts brain activity. Finally, if you’re anything like me, you often hunch over your computer for hours while writing and researching. Hunching inevitably block our bodies’ blood circulation. Practicing yoga enables us to stretch and open our backs, chests, and shoulders, improving circulation and our postures.

Have you ever tried to write when you’re stressed? It’s difficult, isn’t it? For those of you who, like me, struggle to write when you’re stressed, here’s how running and yoga can help:

When you run, practice yoga, or engage in another form of exercise, your body releases endorphins and endocannabinoids (feel-good neurotransmitters)

These neurotransmitters naturally boost your mood and alleviate stress by lowering cortisol, the body’s stress hormone. You may have heard of this as “runner’s high.” Yoga also attacks cortisol by increasing dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin hormone production in the body. Yoga and running help us be present in the moment and forces us to not think about the past or the future and “to-do” lists. Simply put, exercise is a natural and extremely effective means of alleviating your stress, freeing up your brain to write!

What’s stopping you? Maybe some of these excuses sound familiar, and here are some solutions:

“I don’t have time.”

Good news! Plenty of YouTubers have at-home yoga workouts you can follow from the comfort of your bedroom. Minimal prep work needed!

Here are some of my favorites:

• Yoga by Candace (Candace Moore is an internationally certified yoga instructor and is the author of the book Namaslay.)
  • Yoga With Adriene (Adriene is a certified yoga instructor based in Texas, and she recently compiled a playlist called Yoga for Uncertain Times that is quite relevant right now. She also has a yoga practice specifically for writers!)
    • Blogilates (Cassey Ho is an award-winning certified fitness and Pilates instructor based in California.)

“I’m not flexible.”

Flexibility takes time, and you don’t need to be crazy flexible to feel a creative rush. Do what you can, listen to your body, and give yourself grace!

“I hate running; it’s the worst, and the only reason in the world I would run is if a hoard of zombies was chasing me.”

No problem! If you hate running, walk! There are plenty of amazing hiking and walking trails in your area. Google some!

“I don’t have the proper equipment or location.”

Running is convenient—all you need is yourself, the outdoors, and some running shoes. As for yoga and Pilates, yoga mats, blocks, and straps are available at Five Below and TJ Maxx for under $10.

“I’m giving myself a ‘day off’” (that then turns into a week off, a month off…)

Give yourself a goal to work toward to motivate you, be it “I’m going to run to the end of the block and back,” “I saw this yoga pose on Instagram and want to learn how to do it,” or something else! And understand that you don’t have to run or do yoga for an hour to help you write—10, 15 minutes is all you need.

The next time you find yourself struggling to write, or if you just want to improve yourself as a writer, lace up those tennis shoes and head outside, or roll out your mat and check out one of those YouTube channels! And when you do, leave a comment below to let us know if this helps you, or share your experience if you can relate!

Happy writing and running!

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References

Burfoot, Amby. “10 Astounding and Evidence-Supported Health Benefits of Running.” Podium Runner. 23 March 2020. https://www.podiumrunner.com/culture/10-amazing-benefits- running-might-not-known/

Burfoot, Amby. “Running, Thinking, and Writing.” Podium Runner. 11 June 2019. 

Elliott, Jacquelyn. Personal Interview. 8 April 2020

Fetters, K. Aleisha and Alison Feller. “12 Amazing Benefits of Running.” Shape. https:// 

www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/11-science-backed-reasons-running-really-good-you

Holiday, Ryan. “The Timeless Link Between Writing and Running and Why it Makes for Better Work.” Mission.org. 23 Jan. 2018. https://medium.com/the-mission/the-timeless-link- between-writing-and-running-and-why-it-makes-for-better-work-5be232e40c2

Loudin, Amanda. “Why writers should take up running — and vice versa.” The Washington Post. 5 Oct. 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/why-writers-should- take-up-running–and-vice-versa/2016/10/04/d9de82a0-8435-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html

Pilz, Kerstin. “Why writing and yoga are the perfect companion practices.” Write Your Journey.

Top 5 Books on Writing

Written by Daniel Stefanelli

There’s no one formula for how to be a writer. Some people listen to music while they write, while others work in complete silence; some write at night and others in the morning; some people find writing poetry comes naturally, but others can’t get past “roses are red/ violets are blue . . .”

But there is one thing that all great writers seem to have in common: they read.

Reading is an essential tool for anyone who’s serious about improving their writing. Not only can reading be a powerful source of inspiration, but it can also help us learn and develop as writers.

Why? Well, when we read we can learn to recognize what works and what doesn’t in other people’s writing. We begin to internalize different styles and sentence structures. And, with a little practice, we can learn to ask questions about why an author chose to write their work the way they did. It’s a process we sometimes call “meta cognition” (literally: thinking about thinking) and some scholars of writing have suggested that its a key skill in learning how to be a better writer. It helps you move from wondering what you should say in your essay to thinking about how you should say it. Meta cognition is thought to be so important that some writing teachers are developing curricula based around the idea of “writing about writing.”

The good news is reading anything can be beneficial to your writing, but if you’re serious about the “meta” part of meta cognition, consider reading books about writing. Here are some of my favorite books about writing to help you get started:

1 – On Writing Well by William Zinsser

William Zinsser was a renowned journalist and writing professor. On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction offers tips on the fundamentals of writing prose with Zinsser’s characteristic clarity and warmth. If you’d like to learn more about writing nonfiction but aren’t sure where to start, you can’t go wrong with this classic best-seller.

2 – How to Write a Lot by Paul J. Silvia

Are you the kind of writer who struggles with deadlines? If you’re no stranger to all-nighters, then How to Write A Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing can change your life. Funny and encouraging, Silvia has tips for writers of all levels to master productivity and make procrastination a thing of the past. This book is especially helpful for graduate students and anyone interested in publishing their work.

3 – On Writing by Stephen King

You probably know Stephen King for his seemingly endless list of best-selling horror novels, but this memoir is every bit as entertaining. Readers get a first-hand account of King’s rags-to-riches story while learning tips and tricks from one of the most celebrated novelists of a generation. Keep in mind, this is Stephen King we’re talking about, so be prepared for some adult language!

4 – Becoming an Academic Writer by Patricia Goodson

This is the closest thing I’ve found to a complete guide to improving your academic writing. Not only does Goodson share current research from writing education in simple, accessible language, but the book also contains more than fifty exercises for practicing every aspect of academic writing. Learn how to manage your time, master academic genres, and even strengthen your academic vocabulary all with simple exercises you can do at your own pace. It’s like a Write Site tutor you can carry in your backpack!

5 – The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

If you’ve never read anything by Annie Dillard, you’ve been missing out. The Pulitzer prize winner has published breathtakingly beautiful collections of poetry, memoir, and non-fiction essays. The Writing Life is a collection of short essays that will change the way you think about writing forever––and introduce you to what might be your new favorite author.