Most of what I know about writing I’ve learned through running every day. These are practical, physical lessons.

How much can I push myself? How much rest is appropriate—and how much is too much? How far can I take something and still keep it decent and consistent? When does it become narrow-minded and inflexible? How much should I be aware of the world outside, and how much should I focus on my inner world? To what extent should I be confident in my abilities, and when should I start doubting myself?

I know that if I hadn’t become a long-distance runner when I became a novelist, my work would have been vastly different. How different? Hard to say. But something would definitely have been different.

 

More on the importance of talent, focus and endurance in writing from the author of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running at 99U.