Why Walking Might Be the Best Writing Tool I Never Asked For

The surprising link between moving your feet and moving your story.

Image by Midjourney. Prompt by author.

I’m a heavy guy and I’m told over and over again that walking is the best way to lose weight. It’s low impact, requires no equipment, and has a low effort threshold, perfect for a guy whose default setting is “Lazy”.

Now that warmer weather is here, I’ve learned over the last few weeks that walking can be a pathway to solving plot problems, too. There’s something about mindfully putting one foot in front of the other that opens an escape hatch and lets my creative mind wander.

Sometimes, it even wanders into a solution.

On long walks, I have often noticed that after a little while of focusing on my feet hitting the path and listening to the sounds around me, my mind begins to let go of whatever worry and stress it was clinging to. Many people report the same kinds of effects when doing other activities that don’t require much executive brain power.

I do my best thinking in the shower.
— Woody Allen

I’m no neuroscientist, so I’m not going to attempt to talk about what the brain is doing when you’re in a meditative state, but I know my own experiences. There have been a few times over the last several…