Writing and Exercise are Alike!

Image by TWAM - Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums via Flickr

Have you ever thought about how exercise and writing are alike? I'm sure I've been thinking about this because I just started exercising again after a 6-week+ break. Alongside with this new exercise regime (which, by the way, my husband totally made up into a fancy little chart. He rocks!) I've started to write again.

Here's my discovery:


Stage 1 = Excitement:
Exercise: You see your workout schedule and think, "Yeah, Baby, in a few weeks I'm gonna look like a top model."
Writing: You've got stories and ideas just flowing out of your head ready to be typed up. You've got your main character  sketched out and he's ready to conquer the world. You think, "Yeah, Baby, I'm the next JK Rowling!"

Stage 2 = Day Two Blues:
Exercise: In all that excitement you ran an extra lap or two. Now you can barely move and you're muttering to yourself, "What in the world was I thinking? There's no way I'm going to be able to do this."
Writing: You write blog posts, articles, and short stories. You pass a few manuscripts to a friend to critique. It comes back dripping red. Your now thinking, "Why did I ever think I could write?"

Stage 3 = Determination:
Exercise: You decide to stick with the exercise plan for the next few weeks. If you don't see any improvements, then at least you tried, right?
Writing: You take a deep breath and look closely at the red markings. Your critique partner is not stupid, right? (which, by the way, I totally think mine rock!) You try the changes.

Stage 4 = Steady Results:
Exercise: The exercise plan is becoming easier and you are seeing results on the scale. You smile and pat yourself on the back for not stopping, but you know you must still work hard to continue to get to the goal you've set.
Writing: Your manuscript is coming along and you really like the changes that your cp suggested. Your reading more about the craft of writing and seeing improvements in your draft work. You know that you still have a ways to go before that goal is reached, but you feel confident.

Stage 5 = Happy Dance:
Exercise: You have reached your goal. You not only pat yourself on the back, but you give yourself a toast for a job well done. You don't want to think about it right now, but you know you have to keep it up to maintain that top model body and excellent health. *wink*
Writing: You've landed an agent and a publisher! Your dancing around the living room in your pajamas! In the back of your head, though, you know that you a lot of work cut out and that the next goal is to start on book #2.
*This stage could probably be broken down into two different stages as I know you rarely land an agent and a publisher all in one day, but needed to wind this post up.

Where am I? Hmm, probably at #3 with both the exercise and the writing. ;)
How about you? What stage are you at? 
Do you have any thoughts about exercise and writing?