1. Starting Line: Just like a runner poised at the starting line, a writer begins with a blank page.
2. Warm-Up: Writers warm up by brainstorming ideas, much like runners stretch before a race.
3. Pacing: Just as runners pace themselves, writers must control the flow of their narrative.
4. Sprinting: Sometimes, writing requires sprinting to meet deadlines, similar to a runner's final push.
5. Marathon: Writing a novel is akin to running a marathon, requiring endurance and dedication.
6. Training: Writers need to practice and train their skills, similar to athletes.
7. Runner's High: Writers experience a "writer's high" when the words flow effortlessly.
8. Obstacles: Writers face obstacles like writer's block, akin to a runner encountering hurdles.
9. Racing against time: Deadlines in writing are like race times in running, urging you to perform.
10. Hill Climbing: Overcoming writer's block is like conquering a steep hill during a run.
11. Breathing: Just as runners focus on their breath, writers pay attention to sentence structure.
12. Form: Good writing, like proper running form, is crucial for success.
13. Finish Line: Completing a manuscript is like crossing the finish line of a race.
14. Competition: Writers often compete for attention and readers, similar to athletes.
15. Second Wind: Sometimes, writers find a second wind, pushing through tough spots like runners.
16. Coach: Writers may seek guidance from mentors, like runners have coaches.
17. Team Relay: Collaborative writing is akin to a relay race, passing the baton of ideas.
18. Injury: Writer's burnout is like a runner's injury, requiring rest and recovery.
19. Training Plan: Writers have writing schedules, much like runners have training regimens.
20. Hydration: Keeping ideas fresh and flowing is like staying hydrated during a run.
21. Elevation: Writing can take you to new heights, just like running in mountainous terrain.
22. Adaptation: Writers adapt to different genres, just as runners adapt to various terrains.
23. Warm Down: Editing and revising are like the cool-down after a race.
24. Mental Toughness: Writing, like running, requires mental resilience.
25. Personal Record: Writers aim to break their own records with each piece they write.
26. Starting Blocks: Research and preparation are like a runner's starting blocks.
27. Cool Down: Reflecting on your work is like a runner's cool-down jog.
28. Interval Training: Writing in bursts and editing in intervals is like interval training for runners.
29. Steady Pace: Consistency in writing is like maintaining a steady running pace.
30. Finisher's Medal: Publishing a book is akin to winning a race and receiving a medal.
31. Cross-Training: Exploring other creative pursuits can complement writing, much like cross-training benefits runners.
32. Runner's Stretch: Writers take breaks to prevent burnout, similar to runners stretching to avoid injury.
33. Pit Stops: Pausing to gather thoughts is like a runner taking pit stops during a long race.
34. The Zone: Writers enter "the zone" when they are completely absorbed in their work, like a runner in the flow.
35. Trail Running: Exploring different writing styles is like running on various types of trails.
36. Headwind: Facing criticism is like running into a headwind, challenging but surmountable.
37. Spectators: Readers are like spectators cheering for the writer's journey.
38. Starting Gun: Inspiration can strike like a starting gun, propelling you into writing mode.
39. Finish Chute: The final editing process is like the narrow finish chute of a race.
40. GPS: Outlining and planning are like using a GPS for your writing journey.
41. Medal Ceremony: Celebrating a writing achievement is like a podium ceremony.
42. In the Zone: Writers, like runners, perform at their best when fully immersed in their work.
43. Treadmill vs. Outdoor Running: Writing in isolation (treadmill) vs. experiencing life for inspiration (outdoor running).
44. Crossing the River: Editing can be compared to crossing a river by carefully stepping on stones.
45. Training Partners: Writers can find strength in writing groups, like runners benefit from training partners.
46. Runner's Journal: Keeping a writing journal is akin to a runner's training log.
47. Time Trials: Writers often test their abilities with writing challenges, much like runners in time trials.
48. Racing Shoes: The right tools, like a runner's shoes, can greatly impact the writing process.
49. Cool Breeze: Fresh ideas are like a cool breeze during a summer run, invigorating.
50. Falling and Getting Back Up: Both runners and writers face setbacks but must persist and keep moving forward.

These analogies showcase the parallels between the worlds of writing and running, illustrating the challenges, strategies, and joys common to both pursuits.

Keep writing, keep running.

​XO, 
Christie :)

More often than not, this is the definition most people associate with finishing a writing project. And rightly so, it’s a major accomplishment! So first off, congratulations! Yes, be sure to celebrate. But finishing the first draft of a writing project is just that – the FIRST draft. You’ll still need to revise it, edit it, submit it, edit it some more, publish it, and then finally promote it. ​

​Once your first draft is finished, and you’ve celebrated, it’s time to revise your novel. That’s the second definition of what it means to finish your story. Revising your novel allows you to move forward in the publishing process, whether that’s the traditional route or if you decide to go indie. Because nobody wants to read the first draft of a story in its published form. You. Must. Revise.

If you’re struggling with revision, one of the major culprits is not knowing what revision actually is. Revising your novel is way more than making a bunch of simple edits. Another major culprit is that your plot may be lacking one of the 11 stages of a well-structured story. Maybe you’ve revised the setting, the characters’ motivations, and even played with POV, but if you don’t tackle the plot, your novel will never feel finished. Get access to your FREE Mini Course about plotting and see what your story might be missing.

This is a list of the best healing crystals to use in your writing journey.

CLEAR QUARTZ - Stone of harmony. 
Balances and stabilizes your environment, brings clarity of mind, amplifies concentrated attention, balances the mind and body, releases negativity and brings a positive perspective, helps with goal setting, manifestations, and healing.

SODALITE - Stone of communication.
Helps you communicate clearly and effectively. Quiets an overactive mind and stabilizes the emotions. Encourages calmness, eases pressure and worries, helps with public speaking, eases fears, imparts desire to express truths, helps us think more clearly and trust ourselves, especially in times of confusion, clears self-esteem issues, and helps us express our emotions.

AMETHYST - Stone of peace.
Has calming effects that help the mind flow freely with clarity. Neutralizes pain, eases stress, calms and focuses an overactive mind, brings clear-headedness and quick thinking. Allows you to express your truth while releasing difficulty and frustration, and it’s great for stress-related physical conditions.

AVENTURINE - Stone of prosperity. 
Promotes compassion and empathy while encouraging perseverance, attracts good fortune and abundance, brings opportunities to us, helps us look within ourselves while shielding us in safety, releases difficult emotions, helps us shine from the heart, reduces stress, increases physical vitality, and aids in relief for sore muscles.

TIGER’S EYE - Stone of confidence.
Strengthens confidence, willpower, and self-love. Helps us remain centered and empowered to balance the extremes in our lives (like writing and running), helps us solve complex problems and assists in making decisions, clears the mind of scattered thoughts and guides us to see the big picture while harmonizing differing viewpoints (characters). Unblocks creative imbalances, increases creativity, and helps resolve inner and outer conflict. 

ROSE QUARTZ - Stone of universal love. 
Restores trust, harmony, and feelings of peace. Promotes soft, loving energy, balances the emotions, dissipates self negativity. Helps prevent the build-up of anxiety. Encourages us to shine our inner light and freely share it with others. Nurtures confidence, encourages forgiveness, and dissolves negative emotions, eases aches and pains, increases confidence and self-love.

RED JASPER - Stone of creativity. 
Brings strength, energy, and vitality, increases stamina and endurance, renews enthusiasm, helps focus on practical solutions, increases confidence, stabilizes and nurtures our steps forward in life, balances our desires, and helps us get things done. Great for runners! I love to put this crystal in my running shoes (while I’m NOT wearing them).

OBSIDIAN - Stone of protection. 
Clears away negativity, provides courage to explore the unknown, promotes safety, security, and stability, helps us let go of our limitations and fears, invites us to flow and expand, relieves physical pain, releases and blocks out negativity, judgment, resentment, self-sabotage, and fear.

Ever had the flu? Most of us have. I remember the last time I had the flu. My body ached. I had cold chills and a high fever. I had congestion in my head and chest, my nose ran, and all I wanted to do was curl up in the bed and sleep. Like all day. I had no appetite. I thought about medicine and trying to get comfortable. I was like that for three whole days! But when I felt better, my mind went back to my to-do list and I actually had more energy to work on it and get things done. Rest is what rejuvenated me. I became more productive.

You’ve turned into an unproductive writer. You’ve been working on your novel for at least a year, but you still haven’t finished it yet. You’ve paused your writing for at least 3 months, but no new ideas have come to you. You’ve finished the first draft, but you have no idea how to revise it. You’ve been writing weekly for at least 6 months, but it feels sporadic and like you’re not gaining any traction. If any of these apply to you, then you’re probably stuck in the Unrested Writer Plateau. And if you’re experiencing any of these problems, then you’re likely making one of the following mistakes.

1. You push past problems as quickly as possible.
2. You skip important steps.
3. You don’t celebrate when you should.

Here are three counterintuitive ways you can get out of the Unrested Writer Plateau and become a more productive writer.

1. Take Your Time
People who go to church relish the Sabbath Day. For some that’s Saturday, for most Christians, that’s Sunday. The Hebrew word, shavat, means “to rest,” “He rested,” “to cease,” “to desist.” So the Sabbath Day is a day to rest from your daily labors. To take time away from the chaotic turbulent world around us and focus on more important things. 

Same thing with your writing. When problems arise, take your time. Instead of pushing past every problem as soon as they arise, pause for a minute and ask yourself what all your options are. Brainstorm. Take a break from your manuscript for a week, and you’ll be able to come back with fresh eyes, and be able to see what needs to be revised.

2. Stop Writing
Rest is an important step in making bread. You mix the ingredients to form a dough. You knead the dough to activate the ingredients. You let the dough rest to ensure it will rise. When the dough isn’t allowed to rise, you’ll end up with flat lifeless boring bread that doesn’t taste right.

Don’t make the mistake of skipping important steps in your writing. If you skip the step of outlining a plot for your story, then your story will fall flat. It will be lifeless, boring, and won’t taste right. So stop focusing on the actual writing of your story and take some time to create a plot outline.

3. Rest Your Brain
The famous Jeff Galloway, running coach extraordinaire, advised runners to walk 1 minute every mile to allow the legs to rest and your running output to skyrocket. Taking a 1-minute rest every 10 minutes or so increases running productivity. Don’t make the mistake of not celebrating all the small wins. Every mile you run is a win, so celebrate it with a 1-minute walk.

You can celebrate your writing accomplishments by going for a run. For every chapter or scene you write, go for a run. Or when you need a break from the rigors of writing, rest your brain by going for a run. 

We’ve helped nearly a hundred students strengthen their stories by creating a plot outline - even if they haven’t started writing their story yet or they’ve already written the first draft. Sign up for the Plot Masterclass and get out of the Unrested Writer Plateau. 

Keep writing, keep running.

XO, 
Christie :)

P.S.
What’s your favorite way to relax? Let me know on the Writers Who Run Facebook page. 

How important is staying alive? You eat, right? Go to sleep at night, right? Make sure the bills are paid? The kids have food, clothing, and a house to live in, and you make them go to school, right? So beyond the basics, things get a little muddled. Priority means “the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important” or “a thing that is regarded as more important than another”. Is your writing more important than your health or your family? Probably not. I ask you again: how important is your writing to you?

As a multi-passionate individual (hello, writing and running!), we have a tendency to take on a lot. We say YES to things at work, to book recommendations, to friends who want to go out, to family members who need help. Most humans feel bad about turning these offers down. Not to mention, every idea that crosses our mind, and every race we feel compelled to participate in. You might sometimes feel that you can’t do it all. But you can!

When you prioritize your passions, others will finally know that you don’t just enjoy them, but that they’re actually important to you. When something is important to you, you make it a priority. And that’s how you can have your cake and eat it too. You can’t really write and run at the same time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue both of your passions and have a life too.

Every time I’ve trained to run a marathon, half marathon, or a 10k race, I’ve made my running a priority. Finishing the race is important to me. Not finishing dead last is important to me. For those who want to make a new PR or place in their age division, then finishing the race within a certain time is an important goal. 

When I was looking for a literary agent, it was important that I had several manuscripts ready to submit. If they liked the one I submitted, I needed to have another one ready in case they asked, “Do you have anything else?” or “What else are you working on?” My writing was always a priority to learn more about the craft, to practice my craft, and to learn more about the industry. 

But when I got my first agent, I got lazy. I stopped writing. It wasn’t a priority. It was about a year later when we parted ways - due to many factors. But that’s when I realized I hadn’t continued making my writing a priority. It didn’t take long to find another agent, but this time, my writing remained a priority.

Most beginning writers are trapped in the tug-and-pull of getting the writing done. They’re stressed, discouraged, and not confident in their plan to finish their manuscript.

If you’re not making the progress you want with your book, you’ll never get to experience the writing life you hoped for when you decided you wanted to write your story.

Here are three ways to rethink your priorities so you can stop drowning in discouragement and procrastination and spend more time doing what you truly love - writing the story that made you want to write a book to begin with.

1. Understanding why passions should be a priority.
2. Questions to ask yourself about prioritizing your passions.
3. Learn why it’s hard to prioritize your writing and running (and what to do about it).

Why Your Passions Should Be a Priority

​It’s easy to tell what someone’s priorities are. Just look at where their focus is. ​

What they do with their time. Are they watching TV for 2, 3, 4, 5 hours a day? They say the yard is important and it needs to be mowed, because they care about how their house looks in the neighborhood, but when they don’t DO it, it’s clearly not a priority at that moment.  

Here are three reasons why your passions should be a priority:

1. Writing is how you communicate your emotions.                                                         Writing is about more than just putting words on paper or telling a fun story. It communicates human truths through the themes and emotions you choose to explore. Human connection and relationships is one of the top 3 priorities in life. Writing can help you, but only when you make it a priority.
2. Running will give you more energy to write.                                                                    Many of us writers who run lean a little stronger to either the writing or the running. Sometimes it feels hard to balance them both. It’s easy to squeeze in a 20-minute (or even a 50-minute) run into your day 3-4 times a week. But when it comes to our writing, we think we need to spend 2-3 hours a day, every single day, just to finish our current project. You don’t. Running will give you more energy to write, so make your running a priority.
3. Writing and running will give your life deeper meaning.                                            People with a passion live longer lives. A passion goes deeper than just an interest or a hobby. Sometimes our passions can borderline obsessions. When you enjoy your writing and you love going for a run – and you create goals around your passions – it will motivate you to keep going. And you’ll feel like you’re living your truest self with deeper meaning.

5 Critical Questions to Ask Yourself About Prioritizing Your Passions
If you’re struggling with making time for your writing and running, ask yourself these five critical questions about prioritizing your passions. Rate them on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the most. If you score less than 30, then your writing and running will probably never be a priority for you.

• How much does writing and running excite you? Maybe some days or weeks the writing is more exciting and other times the running excites you more. That is okay. Overall, how much excitement do you feel when you think about these two passions?
• How much time do you spend enjoying your passions? Sometimes you may not get to spend as much time as you’d like to on your writing or running. But on average, is the time that you do spend on them very enjoyable?
• How consistent are your writing and running practices? Do you write at least once a week, on the same day and at the same time? Do you run at least once a week? Being consistent is sometimes a better indicator than frequency.
• How much fun do you have when you write and run? If you don’t enjoy it, then why do you do it? Yes, there are lots of components to each. Writing includes planning, plotting, brainstorming, revising, editing, submissions, marketing, and more. You may enjoy some bits better than others. That’s to be expected. Same thing goes for running. Getting ready to run, getting out the door, your warmup, stretching, the run itself, signing up for races, training, etc. If at least one part of the process is truly fun for you, then it’s worth it to make an effort to make it a priority in your life.
• How much impact does your writing and running have on the rest of your life?​ If you feel like you would “die” if you could never write or run again, then they are probably part of your soul’s purpose in life. If running makes you a nicer person with more patience, then it has a huge impact. If writing helps you deal with past traumas, again, a huge impact.

5 Reasons Why It’s Hard to Prioritize Your Writing (or Running)
Do you feel like you never have the time to spend on your writing? Like you keep pushing your runs to the back burner? Do you find that everything else in life bubbles up around you and buries your passions to the bottom of your to-do list? If so, it’s likely because you haven’t learned how to prioritize them yet. 

Here are five reasons why it’s hard to prioritize your writing (or running):

1. Unclear goals. ​When you set goals and write them down and add a deadline, they’ll be a lot more clear to you than if you simply think about them in your mind. Get specific with your goals and write them down. Clarity helps you prioritize.
2. No system in place to rank priorities. ​​When you have too much on your plate, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. To overcome this, think about all the things you need to do and what might be getting in the way. Procrastination may give you temporary relief from avoiding your to-do list, but prioritizing will help you rank importance, include your passions, and get more things done.
3. Lots of distractions. Don’t squander your time on low-value items just because being busy makes you feel productive. Just because you’re busy, doesn’t mean you’re being productive. Blocking out distractions will help you focus on your priorities. Attending a writing retreat will help you do that too!
4. You have a hard time saying no. Sometimes, we’re afraid to say NO to others because we don’t want to create conflict with anyone. But if you have a list of your priorities (the things that are most important to you), it will make it easier to analyze your weekly and daily to-do lists and ensure that writing and running are always on the list, by saying NO to others when your time is already filled.
5. Tackling urgent tasks feels good. According to researchers, the Mere Urgency Effect says we’re apt to choose urgent tasks first even though other tasks are less urgent but more important with greater long-term rewards. Often, the most important task is also the most intimidating, which makes us procrastinate getting it done. If you can hone in on one way that your writing and running will make you feel good, chances are it will rise in ranks on your list of priorities.

How Do You Prioritize Your Writing and Running?
Now that you understand why your passions should be a priority in your life, you’ve confirmed that writing and running are indeed passions you’re willing to pursue, and you know why it’s sometimes hard to prioritize them, what can you do about it? Here are 20 things that can help your running and writing become more of a priority in your life. When you focus on what’s important, it becomes a priority. A lot of these items will help you focus.

1. Rethink what writing means. Writing includes a lot of other tasks besides getting words down. Imagination, daydreaming, brainstorming, research, playing with words, talking to others about your progress and your story, reading lots of books in all kinds of genres, and studying the writing craft are all a part of being a writer. Doing things in addition to putting words on paper count too!
2. Do the big things first. If you try to fill a jar with sand, pebbles, and rocks (in that order), they won’t fit in the jar. But if you fill the jar by putting the bigger rocks in first, everything else will be able to fit.
3. Schedule the time on your calendar. Chances are, if it’s not written down in your calendar, it won’t happen. Important things get added to the calendar. 
4. Before you write, make a plan. Know what you’ll be working on before you sit down to write. For your runs, plan the route you’ll take ahead of time.
5. Get off your social media and close the tabs. Don’t focus on being social right now. Focus on writing or running.
6. Wear noise-canceling headphones. This will help you stay focused and minimize distractions.
7. CLOSE the door. If you’re able to, close the door. This is great for minimizing distractions and extraneous noises. Pair it with a pair of headphones, and you should be able to have a golden writing session.
8. Remember how much you love to write and run. Write down how you feel when you go for a great run. Write down what it feels like to have written so you can remember how much you love your passions, and it will automatically make them more important to you. 
9. Get rid of one thing. Do you watch TV 7 days a week? Cut 1-2 days out of your routine and replace it with the things you’ve decided are more important.
10. Find an accountability partner. Attending a writing retreat is a great way to find a writing buddy to cheer you on and help keep you on track.
11. Practice your writing with specific writing exercises. Writing prompts are great for story starters and creativity generators, but writing exercises can actually make you a better writer. 
12. Write first. Then revise. Edit last. You can’t remodel the bathroom if the house hasn’t been built yet. When you’re writing, focus on that. Once your first draft is finished, you can go back and revise.
13. Read books that bring up strong emotions for you. Subconsciously, you’ll be able to emulate the techniques others authors use. So if you want to make your readers feel something (trust me, you do), then study the authors who elicit feelings in yourself.
14. Invest in yourself as a writer. A writing retreat is one of the BEST ways to invest in yourself as a writer.
15. Revisit some of your old writing. Taking a trip down memory lane to remind yourself how good you were back then (or not). Then celebrate how far you’ve come.
16. Get together with other writers. Writing retreats are a favorite way for writers to connect with each other. You can join the Writers Who Run Retreat here.
17. Choose to write. Everything we do in life is a choice. What you believe is important to you is your own choice. The priorities you set is a choice only you can make. Don’t let other people impose their urgent matters on your time. Choose to write (and run) and relish every minute of it.
    
18. Always write for yourself. Yes, writing for publication is writing for an audience. But first, you must write for yourself. Always remember that.
    
19. Let go of fear. Easier said than done, I know, but when you release some of your writing fears, it will help you to actually DO IT.
    
20. Just do it. I couldn’t help myself. Just do it!

Keep writing, keep running.

XO, 
Christie :)

The best way to finish your manuscript is to think about training for a race. When I ran my first 5k, the only training I had done was in my college jogging class. Race day came and people were walking faster than I was jogging! So a year later, with no other races under my belt, I wanted to run a marathon. You can call me crazy. It’s okay.

But this time, I was running with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Coach Scott created a training plan for everyone. Every Saturday, we ran on the Mountains-to-Sea trails to prep for our big marathon in Anchorage, Alaska. My first 4-mile training run was torture. It was the longest distance I had ever run before. But I finished. And I celebrated every small victory. Before long, I thought a 12-miler was easy. When race day came, I was ready. I ran (and walked) the whole race. It didn’t matter how long it took me – because I finished. That was my goal. To finish the race (or my manuscript).

I don’t want to see your half-finished novel shoved into a drawer never to be seen again. I don’t want you to feel like a failure. Giving up on your writing dreams is not an option. Your novel deserves to see the light of day. Imagine seeing your book on bookstore shelves, signing copies for your most loyal fans, and receiving emails about how much your readers loved your story. In order to get there, you have to finish your manuscript. Here are three ways to do that.

Schedule Your Writing Time
When I was training for my Alaska marathon, Saturdays were reserved for long runs. I ran 2-3 other days during the week, usually between 2-5 miles. You need to schedule your writing time like you would schedule your long runs.

Choose at least one day a week, up to five max (but only if you think you’ll actually show up), to work on writing your novel. 

Put the date and time on your calendar. Show up. Write. Here’s another tip to help you look forward to your writing time: use all five senses. Instead of dreading your “long run” writing sessions, the five senses will root your behaviors in pleasurable activities and help cement it as a new habit.

1. Taste. Have a special treat such as coffee, herbal tea, hot cocoa, a special smoothie, a piece of chocolate. Whatever you love that you’ll have only during your writing times makes a great treat.
2. Smell. A hot beverage might double as taste and smell, but it doesn’t have to. You can also burn a candle, gather your favorite flowers, or wear one of your favorite perfumes or cologne.
3. Sound. Create a music playlist for your writing times. It can be music that energizes you or instrumental music that relaxes you. It can even be a “soundtrack” for your novel. If you don’t like to write with music, you can get a candle with a wooden wick that sounds like a crackling fire. Or use a White Noise app to choose your favorite background sound (ocean waves, seagulls, campfire, rain).
4. Sight. Choose a special trinket such as a figurine, a small stuffed animal, or an item with personal significance and place it near you when you write. It will give you good vibes and enhance your brain’s feel-good chemicals. It should give you inspiration or just simply bring you joy.
5. Touch. If you like to write your rough draft in a notebook, use a special writing utensil and use a special journal. Pick a place to go every week. Our long runs were always on the Mountains-to-Sea Trails, even though we did different portions each week. We always knew where we were going. Sit in a special chair, at a specific desk or table, a hammock, a couch, or even a park bench. Maybe you have a writing hat, a writing hoodie, or a writing scarf. Pick 2-3 things and use it every time.

The key is to make each of the items a special and unique treat specific to your writing time. Then you will look forward to it more and more until your manuscript can carry the momentum forward on its own accord. The idea is to make it a habit so that you’ll keep writing even when you feel stuck.

Create a Plan for Your Story
Now that you have a habit for your writing time with a specific day, time, and place to help you finish your manuscript, what happens when you still feel stuck? You need to create a plan for your story. When you create an outline for your novel, you’ll know where you’re headed. 

If you don’t yet have a full 11-point plot outline for your story, at the very least try to come up with the five main plot points:

1. The Signup
2. The Gunshot
3. The Halfway Point
4. The Wall
5. The Finish Line

A training plan for running a marathon includes a schedule with a time and a place. But another important element is the plan for the actual race. Who doesn’t love a good course map when deciding whether or not to run in a race? Same thing for your readers. They want a good plot – a good story – to unfold before them. Your plot outline is the course map for your novel.

When you know where you’re headed, it makes writing more fun. You can still be creative and flexible and let your characters talk to you. But you’re not dreading every mile wondering when the next water station is. When you’re writing with a plot outline, you’ll usually know the next scene you need to work on. That keeps momentum and excitement levels up, which helps you finish your manuscript.

Celebrate Your Writing Progress
No matter how small your success looks after each writing session, celebrate them! Making progress in meaningful work is one of the best ways to boost positive emotions and ongoing motivation. Studies show that the more frequently people experience positive feelings associated with motivation and progress, the more long-term productivity they’ll create.

The progress principle implies that when you focus your efforts in places where you see progress and celebrate them, you’ll create more progress. When you celebrate your achievements, you’ll increase your confidence, motivation, productivity, and overall joy. The way you celebrate success is actually more important than how you handle your struggle because celebrating every small win reinforces your positive behaviors and helps you create habits that lead to success.

Every small win counts. That might look like showing up to your writing place three days in a row. Or writing a paragraph during your lunch break or a sentence at a stop light on the way to work. Every scene you write deserves a celebration. Every chapter. Every character you flesh out. Every plot problem you figure out. And of course at the end of running a race, there’s a finish line, a medal, an awards celebration, an after party with cold water, food, and friends.

How can you celebrate your writing efforts? Brainstorm a list of all the things you enjoy. Things that motivate you. Typically, rewards fall into 1 of 6 categories: money, food, time, physical, people, and words. Make a plan. Choose the rewards ahead of time so you know what you’re looking forward to. Or if you love surprises, put all your potential celebrations in a jar and randomly draw one out after every writing session.

1. Money. Save money. Put a dollar in a jar every time you sit down to write. Ten dollars for every scene you write. Every time you finish a chapter, go buy your favorite snack to replenish your 5-senses writing time. Buy a special pencil or pen or journal. Buy a writing hoodie, or a candle. 
2. Food. Reward yourself with new snacks for your writing time. Even if you don’t eat while writing, you can begin or end the session with a small treat. If your writing time is before your evening meal, then your reward can be to eat your dinner.
3. Time. Spend extra time with your spouse, your children or grandchildren, or with a friend. Play a short 20-minute game. Surf the internet. Spend 15 minutes on social media. Put a penny in a jar for every paragraph you write and for every penny you collect, that equals an hour. When you earn 24 pennies, you get to go on a short overnight stay somewhere. 
4. People. Time and people often go hand in hand. Spend 30 minutes on social media connecting with friends. Go to lunch with a friend. Gather your kids and dance around the kitchen table to one of your playlist songs.
5. Physical. Go for a run. Enter a race. Do a chore. Have sex. Hug your kids. High five a friend. High five a stranger. Do 10 jumping jacks. Jump up and down with pure joy and giddiness. 
6. Words. Sit in gratitude. Write in your journal. Create a writing session gratitude journal. Shout hallelujah. Yell, “Woo-hoo! I did it!” Use #amwriting on social media and share your win for the day.  

Be creative. Use your imagination. But celebrate all your writing wins - no matter how big or small. Continue the process even after you finally finish your first draft. Rejection? Celebrate! Agent request? Celebrate! When you schedule your writing time, use a plan, and celebrate your progress, you’ll finish your novel manuscript before you know it!

Nothing bad had happened like a death in the family or Covid or loss of a job. But when the time came to go, I couldn’t. Why not? Because I never registered! What? Why wouldn’t I register if I love going to these conferences?

Well… when registration opened up, I procrastinated. I thought I’d register in a couple weeks. Then a couple months. Then when there was only one month left until each event, I still thought I would register, but the real reason I never got to go is because I didn’t properly plan financially for my writing obsession. So I came up with a plan to make sure that didn’t happen again. 

If you missed out on going to that conference or writing retreat you’ve had your eye on for so long because you didn’t have the money, here are 5 ways to fund your writing obsessions. Because let’s face it, we all want to become better writers and attending conferences and retreats is one of the best ways to improve our craft.

1. Save Up Your Money
Start saving your funds early. Calculate the cost of the event you want to attend and divide it by the number of months to save up and “tithe” to your writing fund. For example, if you’re wanting to attend a writing retreat that costs $2,525, if you save up just over $200 a month for a year, you’ll have the money to go!

2. Take Out a Small Loan
If you really believe in yourself and your writing, why not take out a small loan? It’s essentially the same thing as saving up ahead of time, only backwards. Either way, you still get to go! 

Another option is to use your credit card, or see if the writing event you’re dying to attend offers payment plans. By the way, the Writers Who Run Retreat does offer payment plans!

3. Use Your Tax Refund
January through April is tax return season. If you’re expecting any kind of refund at all, the perfect thing to spend your tax refund on is to reward yourself with registration to your favorite writing retreat. From what I’m hearing, returns in 2023 are happening pretty quickly, so that’s a plus!

4. Write Freelance for Extra Cash
When you need a little money in a pinch, try your hand at freelance. There are a variety of ways you can do this: copywriting, print magazine articles, digital blog articles, short stories. Trade magazines are a great place to get started. Be creative and have fun!

5. Enter and Win Writing Contests
Enter your finished manuscripts into more contests with the intention of winning a cash prize. You might even get shortlisted or get a publishing deal. At the very least, you’ll be furthering your career as part of your healthy obsession with writing.

​Keep writing, keep running.

XO, 
Christie :)