Why Going to the Gym Can Make You a Better Writer
I’m totally serious about this!
For more than three years I’ve been going to my local gym with a book in hand… and in all those years I have never seen another person with a book of his or her own.
I’ve never understood this. I’ve never come to grips with the idea that hundreds and hundreds of other gym goers prefer to just listen to their music and watch the muted CNN or Fox News screen.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be able to go to the gym as much as I do if I didn’t bring a good book.
For the last few years I’ve kept my weight down, not always but enough of the time, and a lot of that has to do with my 3–4 trips a week to the gym.
Some days, the worst days, I don’t bring a book, and instead do 45 minutes on the treadmill before moving onto weights. But about 90% of my days are first spent with 40–50 minutes on the elliptical with a book, and not just any book — a Stephen King book.
So hold on, back up.
In 1996 my parents surprised me with a very exciting birthday gift: membership to the Stephen King fan club. In 1995 I had read my first King title — Carrie — which I proceeded to give a book…
