@LynnHBlackburn

About five years ago, I joined Five Forks CrossFit. Me. The girl allergic to exercise now finds herself doing deadlifts, kettlebell swings and burpees.

It caught me completely off guard, but I fell in love with it.

The other thing that caught me off guard is how much similarity there is between my CrossFit journey and my writing journey.

1.It’s scary.Every time I look at the workout for the next day, my stomach does this little flip and the wimpiest parts of me start coming up with excuses for why I can’t go. Yes. Five years in this still happens.

The same thing happens every time I look at a blank page. I’m starting my sixth novel and am completely terrified.

2.It feels good—when it’s over. In the middle of a workout, I think I’m going to die. Sometimes I feel that way while crafting a scene or devotion. But when it’s done? Oh, that’s the best feeling in the world!

3.The warm-up is brutal.When I first joined CrossFit, I dreaded the warm-up more than anything else. The stretches and flexibility exercises left me gasping for air. I would have skipped it if I could, but skipping the warm-up is asking for injury.

When you start writing, it’s easy to want to skip straight to publication. The warm-up—critiques, conferences, studying the craft, writing a few wretched novels or poems—is exhausting but essential. That warm-up time will save you from a world of hurt later on.

4.Others are better at this than you are.It’s so embarrassing, because some of them haven’t been at this as long as you have. (Or, in my case, they are 26 weeks pregnant and still kicking my rear in the gym).

You know those writers, don’t you? You love them, but they are so stinking good it makes you feel inadequate. It’s tough to focus on honing your skills without falling into the comparison trap. Some people will always be better than you. All you can do is be the best you can be.

5.It does get easier. One day, you swing that kettlebell and realize it’s not as heavy as it used to be.

Same with writing. Churning out 1000 words doesn’t instill the same fight or flight response it used to. You find your rhythm and a pace you can manage.

6.Then it gets harder. Because the coach notices it’s getting easy and you’re toast. Back to square one with a weight you can barely drag across the floor, much less swing over your head. Same with the writing life. You’ve landed an agent and a contract, but now there are deadlines and 1-star reviews and this isn’t quite as much fun anymore.

7.It hurts.I almost dropped my barbell the day our coach told us if we were doing it right, we should have bruises on our collar bones. What?

Same with writing. If you’re writing anything of meaning and value, if you’re writing from a place of truth, it’s going to hurt. Get used to the bumps and bruises. They’re here to stay.

8.There’s always more.Even the most elite CrossFit athletes continue to push themselves. No one questions their awesomeness, but they’re always looking for ways to lift more or finish faster.

As writers, no matter what level of success you achieve, there will always be more. Another novel, a different genre, a chance to speak or teach.

9.It’s so worth it.The sore muscles, the blisters, the scrapes, all fade into the background when you see the results.

You may have a hard time seeing the results, but never forget that your writing matters. Your words are a gift that only you can give. Someone out there needs what you have to say. Don’t wimp out. You can do this.

Grace and peace,

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy—but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations—while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

The second book in her Dive Team Investigations series, In Too Deep, released in November. She is also the author of Beneath the Surface, Hidden Legacy and Covert Justice, which won the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel and the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense.

She lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after at www.LynnHBlackburn.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.