I am about to start writing a book.

Because I have written thousands of articles and scripts over the course of my career, I know I can write well, and a lot. But I’ve never written a book, and the prospect of sticking with something big is daunting. Writing a book requires perseverance and the discipline to tolerate periods of tedium. And the belief that I can find my way from beginning to end, even though at the outset, there is no clear path. I’ll be making my own.

A trail run, I decided, would be the perfect precursor. I’ve run hundreds of miles in the last several years. But like writing articles and podcast scripts, most of those runs have been sprints, not marathons. Intuitively, I felt a tough run in unfamiliar territory could be the right thing to build my confidence. It did, and it also gave me a lot more creative fuel than I expected. Here are my top 12 takeaways for anyone embarking on an ambitious creative journey.

1. Go alone

**Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs. Image by author.**

Struggling with a few personal things and with my brain full of ideas for my book, I decided to take a rare mini-retreat. I went overnight to Manitou Springs, a Colorado mountain town near The Garden of the Gods. The Garden of the Gods is a remarkable 1400-acre wilderness area with 20 miles of hiking trails. Mammoth 300-million-year-old red rocks jut up from the arid land. In 1859, a European explorer deemed it a place “fit for Gods to assemble.” I was looking for inspiration. This was the perfect place for a solitary, contemplative adventure.

As the sweat flowed, so too did inspiration. Climbing up a hard hill, a perfectly formed book title came to me. As much as I love running and hiking with others, this wouldn’t have happened in company. Panting for breath, I recorded it on my phone, to remember later.

In 1859, a European explorer deemed it a place “fit for Gods to assemble.” I was looking for inspiration. This was the perfect place for a solitary, contemplative adventure.

2. There will be no perfect time to start.

It’s hard for any of us to get away alone, just as it is difficult to carve the time to start a big, hairy, audacious creative project. By definition, no one else needs you to run a trail alone; no one needs this creative project you’ve just dreamed up. That’s part of what makes it so ambitious. The day I had available for my run was in mid August. It hasn’t rained here in Colorado for weeks. The temperature had hit about 90. And I didn’t arrive at the park until mid-day. Any Coloradan knows you don’t start hiking in the Rockies at noon. It’s foolish because of the heat and our predictable afternoon thunderstorms. I did it anyway.

There will be no perfect time for me to start this book. There is no perfect time for you to begin yours, or your film, your business plan, your podcast. You will encounter poor conditions — heat, thunderstorms, family and work needs, pandemics. Wait for the perfect time and you’ll never do it. Do it anyway.

You will encounter poor conditions — heat, thunderstorms, family and work needs, pandemics. Wait for the perfect time and you’ll never do it. Do it anyway.

3. Have a destination and map

**Garden of the Gods trail map. Image by author.**

I’d never been to the Garden of the Gods trails, and they wind for miles. Ever since I got lost in the woods with my toddler years ago, I’ve been scared of getting lost. I downloaded an app called The Trail Run Project. From a long list of possibilities, I chose a four-mile route, a loop with beautiful views. The description promised several landmarks — which was reassuring for one who fears getting lost.

When starting a new creative project, I need to know my destination ahead of time. Who’s it for? Why am I writing it? Where is it headed? What will I promise and, in the writing of my book or the fleshing out of a business plan, what will I fulfill?

And then I need a map. Unlike the Garden of the Gods, which has already been mapped, my new project doesn’t yet have one. That’s up to me to create. My chapter headings and bullet points will be like the Sleeping Giant and Cathedral Spires on my trail map — they give me something to aim for. If I reach them, I’ll know I’m still on the right path. I haven’t wandered off in the wrong direction.

Who’s it for? Why am I writing it? Where is it headed? What will I promise and, in the writing of my book or the fleshing out of a business plan, what will I fulfill?

4. Bring fuel for the journey

One could argue I did this wrong. I set out only for a few hours. I brought plenty of water and a couple of plums. While that turned out to be everything I needed, I didn’t have sunscreen (foolish in the high desert sun). I also didn’t have a jacket, a lighter, or any extra food or water in case of getting wildly lost, which happens to hikers frequently. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be weighed down — I wanted to be able to fly along the trails as lightly as possible. And I did.

What fuel do I need for my creative journey?

Inspiration: Books to dip into, like Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art and Liz Gilbert’s Big Magic.

Time and Space: For me, this is the early morning, when I am at my most creative and energetic. I love the quiet. And I can drink all the coffee I want.

Encouragement from others on the same trail: For me, that means talking with other writers, sharing my ideas and, especially, my stumbling blocks.

5. Create accountability

I like to track my runs, both distance and pace. My Nike Run Club Tracker let me know when I’d gone my first mile on the trail. I set it to pause automatically after I’d run into my first five obstacles — washouts, rocky, steep paths that were too technical to run up, mystifying crossroads. But I knew my tracker was on, ticking away in the background. Just knowing that got me running again, even when I was tired and hot. I was accountable to my own tracking system.

Long creative projects require discipline. I need accountability for the predictable bouts of self-doubt and laziness. In my case, I’ll create deadlines for finishing chapters and I’ll ask one or two writer friends to help keep me honest. I’ll offer them the same in return.

6. Sprint when you can

Out of the gate, I started running. Although I’m no Olympian, the feeling of running through this astonishing landscape was glorious. But the path was also strewn with rocks and roots, and an awful lot of people. So my run was full of stops and starts. So too with creative projects. Sprint when inspiration strikes; counter-intuitively, expending that energy creates more of it. But keep slogging away, following your own map, when inspiration abandons you or you run into apparent dead ends. Momentum is critical and movement is its own reward: the inspiration, like the easy path, will return.

7. Stop and appreciate the views, both near and far.

On my trail run, I stopped fairly often to absorb the beauty. Here are some wild sunflowers, so bright and cheerful against the dry grass, cactus and the Colorado sky hazy with wildfires. They’re like that gem of a detail you write into your podcast script or your film scene. And then I would lift my eyes to the red rocks, so Zeus-like…like the biggest vision of your project. The near and far — equally important, equally inspirational in their own ways.

8. What if you reach a crossroads?

The trail run description didn’t mention any crossroads. Don’t be fooled. When I reached this one, I didn’t know which way to go. So I looked up at my destination (a huge rocky landmark, beyond which were tiny cars in a far-away parking lot).

I headed toward it, patting myself on the back for my brilliance. That’s the benefit of having a destination for a big project like a book or a film: If you don’t know which way to go, lift your eyes up toward your destination, and run.

9. Be careful of mirages

Oh, but be more careful than I was. And be humble. I was looking at the right destination, but I chose the wrong path to get there. Half a mile later, I encountered another crossroad. Neither trail sounded familiar. Looking at a map — which I should have done earlier — I realized I’d gone astray. There was nothing to do but go back…up a steep, sandy trail full of loose rocks. It was now about 95 degrees out. I was aggravated.

There will be rabbit trails on any project. Sometimes you write pages, only to have to throw them all away and return to where you went astray.

There was nothing to do but go back…up a steep, sandy trail full of loose rocks. It was now about 95 degrees out. I was aggravated.
There will be rabbit trails on any project. Sometimes you write pages, only to have to throw them all away and return to where you went astray.

After I traveled briefly back up the trail, I found a rare shady spot.

I sat, rested, and ate a plum. The rest and fuel rejuvenated me.

In your creative project, if you’ve gone astray, don’t stop where you feel lost. That’s a powerful invitation to quit. Turn around, hike toward the correct path, and then rest and refuel. And don’t linger.

10. Get support where you are

As I rested, a family with four small kids walked by. The three oldest held hands as they picked their way down the mountain. The parents carried a baby. We chatted about the heat; the mom said, “Take a break!” Then, I started climbing again. I encountered an exhausted, sweaty mountain biker. “How are you doing?” I asked. “Struggling,” he shrugged. “This is so hard!”

Sometimes it helps to know others are simply nearby. But it helps even more to see people striving toward their own destinations and admitting how challenging their journeys are. It’s one reason why I am involved in communities of podcasters and why I treasure my long friendships with other writers. It’s also why I mentor young journalists. Cheer each other on. Encouraging others has the unexpected effect of also encouraging yourself.

11. Look back to see where you’ve been

From time to time, look back at your progress. You will surprise yourself with what you’ve accomplished. It’s particularly important to do this when you’re gathering strength for another challenge ahead.

I did this after a couple of miles in and was pleasantly astonished at the rugged terrain I’d just climbed and the gorgeous views behind me. It gave me energy for the next hill.

If you need fuel to write the next chapter, reread your last one. Celebrate the sale to a small customer before writing the proposal to the bigger one. It will give you confidence and strength to persevere.

12. Celebrate the end. Remember this hard journey; it’s fuel for the next one.

When I reached the end of my loop, I wasn’t sure I was in the right place. Maybe I’d taken a wrong turn somewhere? And yet there I was, in the right place after all. On a long journey, as long as you know your destination and you keep going, despite the obstacles, eventually you’ll get there.

When I returned to my car, the temperature gauge read 100 degrees. I had run, climbed—and trudged 4.5 miles. What a feeling! Alone, I celebrated, and wound slowly back down the mountain. I’m already planning the next trail run.

And I’m ready to write my book.

How about you?

Dreaming of starting a podcast? Join the waiting list for our training program, Podcast Liftoff: Get Your Podcast Off the Ground. You’ll also learn about our Podcast Allies Community, where creators on a trail support each other and hold each other accountable.

Originally posted on Medium on August 17, 2020 by Elaine Appleton Grant

A Trail Runner’s Guide to Starting a Big, Scary Creative Project