Running in place–are you ready?

Running in Place. This Denver Post headline caught my eye. The article discusses training for races by using a treadmill. It also describes the state I have found myself in several times during my writer’s journey.

Running in place—waiting for a green light, waiting for the starting gun, waiting until the path clears and we can proceed. In this state, energy is being expended because we don’t want our legs to cramp. We want those muscles to remain loose, toned and ready to perform. We want to keep our heart rate steady. And we want to stay focused—all this so that, when the light does turn green, we’re ready.

It’s an apt analogy to this business of novel writing.

Like red lights, rejections arrive—if we’re lucky! If not, our queries are met with months of silence that force us to eventually accept the unspoken, unwritten rejection. It’s lost time, and we either run in place or take the nearest bench and start people-watching. (Translation: escape through social media, cable, Netflix, etc.)

Publishing paths have become so crowded these days that it’s hard to elbow our way in. Every week, thousands of new books are released in our genre, and thousands more backlist books are re-released by both big and indie publishers at prices cheaper than a bag of potato chips, or for free.

We wait well past any sane person’s patience level, for “the call” or “the contract” or the break-even or break-through point where we will reach critical mass and earn a decent fan base.

Dismal? Depressing? As Deepak Chopra would say, “It is. It simply is.” It’s the reality of the market.

That’s what I found so inspirational in this headline. Rather than wilting in the face of tough odds, we can learn the art of running in place. Consider these strategies to become adept at running in place.

Network to keep your soul healthy. We are not alone. We’re in this together, and networking is healthy and helpful. Stay in touch with your fellow writers. Encourage them, and accept their encouragement. Welcome it. Absorb it. They may share some new paths that aren’t so crowded, or that have more interesting scenery. Keeping our minds open can lead to new possibilities.

Wear “New Balance” running shoes. Cross training has been proven to inject interest in a fitness routine. Exercise more than just your writing muscles. Keep your day job to feel the satisfaction of reaching goals and helping others. It will nourish your self esteem. A day job may or may not bring tangible income, but it helps you have a balanced life. The intelligence that makes you a gifted writer can be applied in daily living situations, and will help keep your faith reservoir replenished.

Avoid “Writer’s Obsession” by keeping Family Ties. Becoming a hermit writer cave dweller can bring on the dreaded side stitch, a stabbing pain below the ribs that makes further running impossible. We can avoid such pain by keeping room in our writing life for our family and friends. In giving, we will receive. Our hearts will remain full, and our journals will be rich with material for our future stories.

That headline was a shot of fresh inspiration for me. It came at the right time. I’m trying new marketing strategies, learning new ways of thinking about my books and my readers. I plan to stay in tip-top shape while I run in place. I hope this gives you a little boost in your routine, too!