Why So Many Writers Are Athletes
Exercise acts as an extra twist to open the tap of creativity.
TL;DR
- Physical activity, like swimming, can be a form of mobile meditation that clears the mind for creative thought.
- Exertion boosts neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, improving attention and fostering new cognitive connections.
- Movement helps writers access an 'embodied place' for creativity, going beyond intellectual thought to emotional and sensual connection.
- Writers like Jade Chang, Chris Duffy, and Ivy Pochoda have spoken about the crucial role of physical activity in their writing process.
- Historical figures such as Goethe and Nietzsche emphasized the importance of movement for creative thought, criticizing sedentary lifestyles.
- Authors like Virginia Woolf and Haruki Murakami have also been noted for their reliance on physical activity for inspiration.
- The act of moving can help writers to 'go to the page' with stories already internalized, as described by journalist Harrison Hill.
- Exercise can provide a 'euphoria' and 'out-of-body experience' that influences the writing, as noted by writer Ivy Pochoda.
- There is a permeability between the practices of writing and moving, where one discipline informs the other, leading to expanded creativity.