If you’re like most writers, you probably spend a big part of your day seated at your desk in front of a computer.
There are stories and blog posts to write, comments to reply to, emails to send, Facebook pages and Instagram accounts to update, articles to Tweet, and the list goes on. If we’re not careful, we can easily fall into the trap of staring at a computer screen for hours.
And that’s not only detrimental to our health but also detrimental to our creativity.
Science fiction writer Orson Scott Card observes, “Take care of your body. Writing is a sedentary business; it’s easy for many of us to get fat and sluggish. Your brain is attached to the rest of your body. You can’t do your best work when you’re weak or in ill health.”
Card’s solution? A daily walk. He writes, “It’s worth the time to take an hour’s walk before writing. You may write a bit less for the time spent, but you may find that you write better.”
Card isn’t the only writer who lauded the benefits of walking. Read on to discover several of the famous writers who were also walkers and how a daily walk can boost your creativity.
Writers Who Loved Taking a Daily Walk
The ancients had a Latin phrase about the importance of walking: Solvitur Ambulando. It means, “It is solved by walking.”
The term originally referred to the Greek philosopher Diogenes’ response when asked whether or not motion was real. He stood up and walked away. Soon the phrase was adopted as a way to describe how taking a walk energizes us and helps us think through our problems.
For many famous writers, a walk was an essential part of their daily routine and writing process.
Charles Dickens loved traveling by foot. In his book The Uncommercial Traveller, he writes,
So much of my travelling is done on foot, that if I cherished betting propensities, I should probably be found registered in sporting newspapers under some such title as the Elastic Novice, challenging all eleven stone mankind to competition in walking.
My last special feat was turning out of bed at two, after a hard day, pedestrian and otherwise, and walking thirty miles into the country to breakfast…My walking is of two kinds: one, straight on end to a definite goal at a round pace; one, objectless, loitering, and purely vagabond.
In 1851, Henry David Thoreau delivered a fascinating lecture on walking at the Concord Lyceum. In his lecture, he observed,
I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least — and it is commonly more than that — sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields absoutely free from all wordly engagements…Moreover, you must walk like a camel which is said to be the only beast which ruminates when walking. When a traveller asked Wordsworth’s servant to show him her master’s study, she answered ‘Here is his library, but his study is out of doors.’
Ernest Hemingway was another avid walker. In his memoir A Moveable Feast (affiliate link), he reminisced,
I would walk along the quais when I had finished work or when I was trying to think something out. It was easier to think if I was walking and doing something or seeing people doing something that they understood.
Similarly, the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote in an 1847 letter to his niece,
Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.
Thomas Jefferson would have agreed. He too believed that walking not only contributed to bodily health but mental health as well. He wrote,
A strong body makes the mind strong. The object of walking is to relax the mind. You should therefore not permit yourself even to think while you walk. But divert your attention by the objects surrounding you. Walking is the best possible exercise.
And here’s a line from Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening,
I always feel so sorry for women who don’t like to walk; they miss so much — so many rare little glimpses of life…
Although these writers were relying on anecdotal evidence to praise the benefits of walking, recent scientific studies have proven that their claims were correct. A daily walk is an excellent way to improve health and boost creativity.
How Walking Improves Health & Boosts Creativity
A recent study by Cambridge University in England of over 334,000 European men and women found that a brisk walk of just twenty minutes per day could be enough to reduce an individual’s risk of early death. Walking also helps relieve stress and ease symptoms of depression.
In other words, enjoying a vigorous daily walk leads to a longer, healthier life and that means more time to hone our writing skills, to contribute to the world, and to spend with those we love.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson once remarked, “When Nero advertised for a new luxury, a walk in the woods should have been offered. It is the consolation of mortal men. I think no pursuit has more breath of immortality in it. It is one of the secrets for dodging old age.”
But aside from the obvious health benefits, walking can also make us smarter.
A 2011 study discovered that older adults who engaged in 40 minutes of brisk walking three times a week for one year showed an increase in the size in an area of the brain called the hippocampus and also improved memory.
In fact, an exciting new study from Stanford University revealed that creative thinking improves while a person is walking and shortly thereafter.
In an article from Stanford about the study, May Wong reports,
The study found that walking indoors or outdoors similarly boosted creative inspiration. The act of walking itself, and not the environment, was the main factor. Across the board, creativity levels were consistently and significantly higher for those walking compared to those sitting…
A person walking indoors – on a treadmill in a room facing a blank wall – or walking outdoors in the fresh air produced twice as many creative responses compared to a person sitting down, one of the experiments found…
The study also found that creative juices continued to flow even when a person sat back down shortly after a walk.
Bottom line: If you’re facing writer’s block, feeling lethargic, or struggling with procrastination, a nice brisk walk might be just what you need to stimulate your brain’s creativity and get you back in writing mode.
The Takeaway: How to Fit a Walk into Your Writing Routine
Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, an avid marathoner, observes,
The most important qualities to be a fiction writer are probably imaginative ability, intelligence, and focus. But in order to maintain these qualities in a high and constant level, you must never neglect to keep up your physical strength.
Of course, you should always consult with your doctor before adding any type of strenuous activity into your exercise regime. However, if you are able, a daily walk is a wonderful way to stimulate your brain and get yourself up and away from your desk.
I try to make time for a 1.5-mile walk each day. In the colder months, I walk on a treadmill, but I prefer walking outdoors whenever possible and especially value the days when I have time to take a leisurely stroll on a forest trail. The Japanese praise the calming power of Shinrin-yoku: forest bathing.
Regardless of where I walk, I always find myself energized and better able to concentrate when I return to my writing.
For those of us with busy lives, it can be difficult to find time to write, let alone find thirty minutes or more each day for walking. But the good thing is that walking is one of those exercises that can be broken up into short sessions throughout the day: for example, fifteen minutes in the morning and then fifteen minutes in the evening.
The important thing is to make sure you aren’t slumped in front of your keyboard for hours on end. When you find that happening, step away from your desk and get your blood flowing.
As Thomas Jefferson so wisely observed, “If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong. The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise.”
Do you make time in your writing routine for a daily walk? If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment and share with someone you would like to inspire.
Brie says
I love this! I, too, get some of my best thinking done while walking, especially during the pandemic. I find that my dialogue, in particular, improves. I think it’s because I’m working up a sweat (usually speed walking), so my character’s voices seem to become stronger as I go faster.
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Meg says
Loved this article! I also forwarded it to my dad 🙂
Thank you, Nicole!
Nicole Bianchi says
Thank you so much, Meg!! 🙂
George in Quito says
I live at about 9400 feet altitude in the Andes mountains and walk for at least an hour a day. It’s let me live past 75 years in a healthy way. Thanks for your article; I really appreciate the validation.
Nicole Bianchi says
Wow, that sounds like an amazing place to go for a walk. Thank you for reading, George! Glad to hear you enjoyed the article. 🙂
Richa Tiwari says
Such an interesting article! I can totally relate coz i love walking myself. I go for a walk at 5 am, before i leave for work. This way, i get a good first of positive thoughts to kick start my day. I also avoid listening to music when walking so that i am aware of the surroundings and observe people, animals , birds, trees etc on my way 🙂
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Richa! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂 Wow, that is awesome that you go for a walk at 5am. I am trying to wake up earlier in the morning, but it’s hard because I’ve always been a night owl. Your morning walk sounds so perfect!
Resh Susan says
Going for a walk is something that is very inspirational. Many writers are very lonely because writing is mostly working alone. A walk helps to refresh the ind, see new people and get new ideas
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Resh! 🙂 Thanks for your comment! I so agree. Walks are so incredibly refreshing and inspiring. And, yes, that’s so true about writing being a lonely business. It’s so important to be intentional about getting out and spending time with others. I get some of my best story ideas from conversations with friends and family!
lisa says
I love all your posts. You are a great writer and you always offer such interesting and useful tips. I think this post might just be my favourite so far. I wish I had logged all the miles I had walked while writing my dissertation! And good for you for walking 1.5 miles a day. Keep up the great work. You’re an inspiration!
Nicole Bianchi says
You are so sweet, Lisa! I am so happy to hear that you enjoy my posts. 😀 Thank you so much! And I am really curious – what was your dissertation about? 🙂
Terri Webster Schrandt says
Nicole, this is so true! I get my best ideas for my blog when I’m walking my dogs. I bring my phone with me and dictate into google docs so I don’t forget.
Nicole Bianchi says
Excellent tip to dictate into Google docs! That’s a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing, Terri!
Roy says
Great piece. I jog. Many great ideas come to me while in motion. Dickens walked 30 miles to breakfast! Good stuff, Nicole.
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Roy! Thank you for your comment! I can’t believe Dickens walked that far just for breakfast. It’s amazing. My daily walks are much less ambitious. 🙂
Jeana (@hotcocoareads) says
Yes!!! I love walking and there is something about doing something you don’t have to think about (putting one foot in front of the other), so you can be working things out in your mind—whether it’s troubles with life or with the story you’re writing. Great post!
Nicole Bianchi says
Thank you, Jeana!! I absolutely agree. 🙂 Thoreau’s recommendation is great — to walk like a camel. 🙂
Nerdy Creator says
I agree! I get my best ideas from walking. Previously when I used to write song, I would have melody or lyrics in my head and I would record it down with my smartphone. I love walking. 🙂
Nicole Bianchi says
That’s really cool that walking inspired your songwriting! I’ve gotten lots of wonderful ideas while walking too. Thanks for your comment!
Lissa Johnston (@Lissa_Johnston) says
I don’t get blocked but I do get tired sitting all day. I usually go for a 4 mile walk around 5pm to get my 10k steps in for the day. I also listen to writing podcasts to multitask. Never fails I get at least one very productive idea from the walk. Just have to remember it long enough to write it down when I get home LOL.
Nicole Bianchi says
Four miles is very impressive, Lissa! That’s wonderful that you’ve been able to fit that into your daily schedule. I too love catching up on podcasts when I walk on the treadmill. It’s a fantastic way to take advantage of that time. Thank you so much for your comment!
Heidi ~ morethan3wishes.com says
Fantastic post! I always feel so much better in many ways when I walk on a regular basis. I’m not one for walking on treadmills. Luckily, the weather is shaping up and I can’t wait to get outside. I know that I always do my best thinking while walking. Thank you for this important reminder. I’m ready to get back on track!
Nicole Bianchi says
Thank you so much, Heidi! 🙂 I don’t particularly like walking on the treadmill either, but at least it lets me get my blood pumping during the really cold winter months. Like you, I can’t wait to get outside. So glad you enjoyed the post!
Catherine says
Yes! This is right on! I try to take a daily walk, and definitely notice my productivity increases directly after. I also notice that I get little bursts of creative inspiration as I walk (thank goodness for Evernote, so I can capture those bursts, instead of losing them!) which helps my writing tremendously. Like you, I prefer forest walks. There’s something so serene and life affirming about a beautiful, shaded forest trail. Unfortunately I have to make do with neighborhood walks most days, but that’s better than nothing!
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Catherine! Thanks for commenting! That’s awesome that you take a daily walk. And I love Evernote too — it’s perfect for jotting down thoughts on the go.
Love how you described forest walks as “life affirming.” So true! There really is something about walking on a trail rather than paved roads. I’m going to try to make more time for forest walks this summer.
Aleksandra says
Writing as an occupation has very high depression and suicide rates – because it is incredibly lonely. Walking is definitely a way to avoid that!
Nicole Bianchi says
That is a very sad statistic, Aleksandra. I often have a walking partner when I go for a walk outdoors. It is so nice to share that time with someone else and be able to talk about our writing projects together and give each other feedback. It does make the craft less lonely. Thanks for your comment!
Nellwyn says
This is so true! Walking always clears my head and when my head is clear creativity drops in! Plus when I walk around my neighbourhood I usually see something interesting and worth writing about.
Great post!
Nellwyn | http://www.thecardinalpress.com
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Nellwyn! Thank you for your comment! 🙂 Love that you find writing inspiration when walking around your neighborhood. That happens all the time for me too. It’s also a great way to work through plotting problems.
Sandi Schwartz says
What a wonderful article. I love how you tied in quotes from writing experts throughout history. Thank you for this very important reminder to take a break from the computer screen and get outside.
Nicole Bianchi says
Thank you so much, Sandi! I found the quotes from the famous writers so fascinating. Hope you are able to enjoy a nice walk today! 🙂
Alan says
Although I’d never made the connection of activity and writing, it makes sense. Physical activity has been part of my daily routine for decades. From racquetball in earlier years to riding my recumbent bike in the early morning air, to walking in the woods here on the Equator at 10,000 feet above sea level.
Nearly all my life I have been a writer, more journalist that publishing. As the internet flourished and websites became easier to create, along with blogs, my writing has found an outlet.
This page causes me to consider what impact that physical activity has had on my writing. Good post Nicole.
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Alan! Thank you for your comment! That’s fantastic that physical activity has been such an essential part of your daily routine for so long. Getting outdoors also gives us so many rich experiences to write about.
Thanks again! All the best with your writing journey!
Cynthia P. says
I 100% agree with this post Nicole. I walk every day. My son goes on the bus to school every morning. As soon as he has left, I now leave my daughter at home to get ready for school, and I go for a 30 minute walk. I couldn’t do without it. It makes you feel alive, you’re able to think without interruptions, it’s great to stay fit. I walk very fast, probably too fast for most people, but it works for me. I also love running, but have an injury at the moment, so am combining walking with swimming. Physical activity is critical if you’re doing sedentary work, and even if you’re not its so invigorating and necessary to physical health. Great post, Nicole.
Nicole Bianchi says
That’s fantastic, Cynthia! 😀 It’s so nice to find someone else who loves to go for walks! No wonder we are friends — we have so much in common. 😉
Walking has become such an important part of my daily routine. On those unpredictable days that I’m forced to skip my usual daily walk, I miss it so much. I definitely agree with you — it really does make you feel alive. Swimming is a wonderful form of exercise too. It’s so relaxing.
Thank you for your comment!