Runner In The Rain

My writing desk sits against windows that look out onto the parking lot of our apartment complex, a small grassy area and onto a two-lane road. So I see a lot of people walk, run and bicycle by, as well as myriad cars throughout the day.

There is one particular woman who passes by my window every morning, no matter the weather, between 9:30 and 10 am. She is petite, and of indeterminate age from my vantage point--although judging from the way she jogs, I would guess anywhere from late 50s to mid-70s. I would call her a plodder. Her steps are slow and measured. She is in it purely for the exercise, and knows she could never compete in any kind of a race. She is just another one of thousands of joggers you can see on the streets of Burlington, Vermont, and its environs. And she is my inspiration.

The key to successful writing is persistence. Authors have to write every single day, if possible, whether they "feel" it or not. The content doesn't matter. Some days, it's utter crap; the next, brilliance. But you can't produce anything of value, of merit, if you don't produce at all.

My jogger embodies that mindset. This woman, as slow as she is, is out there every day. She appears at roughly the same time, and the weather is never a factor. When I was a runner, I hated running in the rain. I avoided it if I could, by using an exercise bike or other indoor. Not this woman. Her routine never varies, as far as I can tell. I am sure that on days where there is a foot and a half of snow on the ground, or the temperature hover in negative digits, she might stay indoors for safety reasons. All I know is that every time I have been at my desk in that 30-minute morning window, I have seen her. And it's not skill or speed that I notice. It's effort--continual, unrelenting effort. Measured against her, my writing habits sometimes fall short, but when I see her I am reminded of what my goals are, or should be. And it's what I remind other writers, whenever I can.

This blog represents those goals and that effort. A daily sharing of my thoughts--on writing and, sometimes, other subjects related to my life--and tips and inspiration for other writers. I won't be as precise as my jogger, but you will find my thoughts here daily. I hope you enjoy them.