Never Underestimate the Power …

… of a Good Walk.

If you’ve ever hit a speed bump while writing, it can feel a lot like owning a knock-off Roomba®. The cheap vacuum does great until it hits a wall. Then it’ll reverse, move forward …

… and hit the wall again. And again. Eventually, if you’re lucky, the machine will finally back up far enough to give itself a sense of the room.

For me, when it comes to metaphorical walls, taking a walk or a jog usually gives me that necessary perspective.

I mentioned in a previous post that when I walk, I carry a tiny notepad and pen to jot down ideas that come to me. Or, if I’m feeling cheeky, I’ll record my thoughts on my phone.

Here’s a transcript from one of my wall-hitting moments:

Here we go … (sigh) … Here I go, sighing again. Here’s a question. When they go through the veil, are they going to see Krell having his hearing? And are they going to be … I’m running high on word count, though. That’s my problem. They might be witnesses for this hearing for Krell. I don’t know. Man. There’s too many “I don’t know’s” coming to the end. I can’t stand it. This is supposed to help me figure it out by talking it out, and it’s not working.

I was so frustrated, the words didn’t even make sense to me. And I said them!

Here’s the thing. Some walls need more than just physical exercise to break them down. You might ask yourself, “Do I need more information? Do I need more time to let the story problem float around in the back of my head?”

Or maybe you just need to sit down and have a good think.

A few days later, I took another walk with my notepad and my phone. I used both to organize the final chapters for Book 4. Here’s that transcript:

I want to say between the notes I wrote on my walk today and my audios on my walk today – the book is done. Now all I have to do is put all my little pieces together, and write it up. It’s okay if my last chapter is kinda rough around the edges because it’ll be done. Oh man. It’s done. I’m already believing it. I accept the fact that it is finished. Complete-o finito!

I learned two things from my recent experience in wall-crushing.

1. Never lose faith that the answer will come, and

2. Manifestation kinda works. As long as you’ve got enough “little pieces” to put together. 😂

Yes, for real, Book 4 is done and waiting for me to proof it!

Happy writing!