From Edie: Discover eight practical exercises that help writers stay spiritually, creatively, and emotionally strong while building a healthy, consistent, and sustainable writing life.
A Writing Workout: 8 Exercises to Keep Your Writing Life Strong
By Edie Melson @EdieMelson
We all understand the importance of staying in shape. We talk about exercise, good habits, and building strength for the long haul. But what about our writing life?
Today I want to share a simple workout routine designed to help you keep your writing life in shape. While physical conditioning matters, our spiritual, emotional, and creative health is just as important.
After all, our goal isn’t just to write for a season. Our goal is a sustainable writing life—one filled with joy, growth, and the endurance to keep going no matter what comes.
Let’s head to the gym.
A Workout Routine for Writers
Deep Knee Bends: Practice Humility and Prayer
I’m at my healthiest—physically, spiritually, and emotionally—when I make daily conversations with God a priority.
But prayer isn’t the only kind of deep knee bend a writer needs.
There is also a humility that keeps us in good condition. When we acknowledge that others may be right—or even better suited for a particular opportunity—we remove a great deal of stress from our lives.
Humility:
- Keeps our hearts soft
- Protects us from pride
- Opens the door for growth
Writers who stay humble stay teachable.
Sit-Ups: Stay Aware of the Industry
This is the exercise where you “sit up” and take notice of what’s happening around you.
A healthy writer pays attention to:
- Publishing trends
- Reader interests
- Industry changes
- Opportunities in both local and online communities
You don’t have to chase every trend, but awareness helps you make wise decisions about your writing direction.
Strength Training: Build on Your Strongest Foundations
Where is your writing life already strong? That’s where you begin to build.
Ask yourself:
- Do I have a strong local writing community?
- Do certain topics or blog posts perform better than others?
- What types of writing do I enjoy most?
- What are my natural strengths?
Maybe you:
- Excel at description
- Love storytelling
- Have a gift for editing
- Thrive in devotional writing
- Enjoy teaching through article
Instead of constantly trying to fix weaknesses, spend time developing your strengths and adding skills that support them.
Strong foundations create lasting careers.
Hurdles: Tackle the Obstacles Ahead
Every writer faces hurdles:
- Weak dialogue
- Poor time management
- Fear of rejection
- Lack of marketing knowledge
- Unfamiliar genres or formats
Instead of avoiding these obstacles, take a run at them.
Learn a new skill.
Take a class.
Read a craft book.
Ask for help.
Hurdles are meant to be cleared, not circled forever.
Sprints: Use the Small Pockets of Time
Many writers love long, uninterrupted writing sessions. But for most of us, those ideal conditions are rare.
Life is busy. Schedules are full. Interruptions are real.
If we wait for perfect conditions, we may never write at all.
Train for short sprints:
- Write a paragraph while waiting for an appointment
- Capture an idea on your phone
- Edit a page during a lunch break
Those short bursts of effort add up faster than you think.
Endurance Training: Remember This Is a Marathon
Writing is not a sprint. It’s a long-distance race.
Books take time. Careers take time. Growth takes time.
But small, consistent steps will always carry you farther than occasional bursts of effort.
Endurance is built through:
- Regular writing habits
- Realistic goals
- Patience with the process
Stay steady. The finish line is reached one step at a time.
Cardio: Guard Your Heart
In physical fitness, cardio strengthens the heart. In writing, your spiritual and emotional heart needs attention too.
Make it a priority to follow God’s heart in all you do. Let Him shape your passion and guide your words.
When your heart is aligned with His, you’re protected from some of the most common writing injuries:
- Jealousy
- Discouragement
- Comparison
- Frustration
- Expectations
Those things can derail even the healthiest writer if we’re not careful.
Stretching: Stay Flexible and Willing to Grow
No workout is complete without stretching.
The writing world changes—sometimes quickly and unexpectedly. Technology shifts. Publishing paths evolve. Reader expectations move.
The writer who stays flexible will stay in the race.
Stretch by:
- Trying new formats
- Learning new tools
- Exploring new ideas
- Accepting feedback with grace
Growth requires movement.
A Healthy Writing Life
None of these exercises is complicated. But when practiced regularly, they build strength, endurance, and balance.
A healthy writing life includes:
- Spiritual grounding
- Creative awareness
- Consistent habits
- Emotional resilience
- A willingness to grow
And just like physical fitness, the results come from consistent effort over time.
Now it's your turn! If you were adding one more exercise to this writing workout routine, what would it be? Share your thoughts in the comments. Your idea might be exactly what another writer needs to stay in shape.
Don’t forget to join the conversation.
Blessings,
Edie
TWEETABLE
She and husband Kirk have been married 44+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.
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