Writing Is a Marathon

In May 2020, amidst a global pandemic, murder hornets, and videos of people cutting objects that turned out to be cake, I earned my bachelor's degree. I've wanted to be a writer since I was a kid, but I majored in Kinesiology so I'd always have a day job to fall back on. Most people are impressed when I tell them I majored in Kinesiology, but that subsides once I admit it's just a fancy word for "exercise science." One of the beautiful things about storytelling is that everyone has unique areas of expertise from their degrees or day jobs that they can apply to their writing. Here's what I learned about writing from exercise science:

You don't just wake up one day and run a marathon. You have to make exercising a habit without pushing yourself too hard and getting burnt out. If you sit down and write 10,000 words in a day, that's amazing! But if that's all the writing you get done for the year, then you'd be better off working at a steady pace of 500 words per day. Writing is a marathon, not a sprint. But if you practice and have the right tools, the words will come more easily.

You don't work out in jeans or run in sandals. When you exercise, you use the right equipment. Weights, athletic clothes, water, protein bars… As a writer you need to have the right tools too. Some people use notebooks or any old writing processor, but are those the best tools? If you want to write better stories faster, then Campfire Blaze is the best tool available.

Campfire Blaze is a browser-based suite of tools to help you keep your writing organized. Collaborate in real-time or work by yourself to flesh out every facet of your story. Create your characters, design your plot, and reference all your notes from Blaze's word processor when you write your manuscript.

Blaze has character sheets, endless corkboard timelines, a powerful word processor, relationship webs, character arc tracking, customizable encyclopedias, and more. If you have trouble keeping track of details and finding plot holes, or you just enjoy plotting your stories visually, then Campfire Blaze is right for you. Try it for free today at https://www.campfireblaze.com/.

Sitting down and actually writing is the hardest part. (Which is similar to how going to the gym and actually exercising is the hardest part.) This is why establishing a habit is crucial. If you need help learning how, then be sure to check out Campfire's Blog post, Start Writing Strategically.

It's important to stay in the zone once you start writing. I like to write the same way I exercise – with music to help me block out the rest of the world and focus on my work. Writing while listening to music isn't for everyone, so try it out and see if it’s right for you. It can be especially helpful for capturing the right tone for a scene. The same way you listen to music that hypes you up when you exercise, if you listen to sad music it might help you capture a somber tone for a scene.

Oh, and did you know Campfire Blaze has a focus mode built into its word processor? Stop getting distracted by the siren's song of funny cat videos and get some writing done!

There's a lot of overlap between writing and exercise. Practicing, preparing, and performing well are vital for success. Do a little bit every day, and do it well, and soon you’ll be running a marathon.

Don't forget to use the right tools! Write better stories faster with Campfire Blaze today. https://www.campfireblaze.com/.

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Campfire Technology creates organization software that helps writers develop their stories. Its software includes tools for character development, story timelines, worldbuilding, word processor, and more, allowing storytellers to write better stories, faster. Follow on Twitter @CampfireTechLLC.