Writing is like...

Firstly, let me draw your attention to a new little feature on my sidebar, a word count tracker. This gives you guys an idea of my goal, and how my book is coming along. If you don't see it moving, I need motivation! Plus it leaves me accountable to you guys :)

The other day the oh so articulate Angela V. Cook at The Starving Novelist tagged me in Writing Meme. The theme? Writing is NOT like a box of chocolates. The purpose? To explain what writing is really like.

What can I compare writing to? Well, I went back to my past. You probably don't know that until I was 12 (and went to Disneyland for the first time) my family had never been on a vacation that didn't involve camping and hiking. If we stayed in a hotel, it was only out of complete necessity. It was also the cheapest place in town (i.e. the budget inn, motel 6, etc.) So today I'm going to compare writing to hiking.

When you start a hike, you have high hopes. You have a goal in mind, you want to reach the top. Your legs are able (or your brain, as writing may go), so you should be too, right?

At first you're taking in the beauty of it all. The birds, the flowers, the sound of rushing water. It fills your senses and pushes you on. That is, until the third or fourth steep climb. You've been here before, you've conquered this demon, and now you have to do it again. And you're still not done. There's a long way to go.

The vegetation becomes more sparse, your legs are killing you. That's when you think, can I really do this? Your hiking companions will push you along. People making the descent will tell you you're almost there. So you forge forward.

When you get to the top, the view is breathtaking. You feel a sense of accomplishment for finishing what you started. You want to spend all your time on top of the world.

Eventually, the stigma wears off. You need a shower, and it would be nice to have a hot meal. You think to yourself it's all downhill. You'll be home making yourself a frozen pizza in no time.

You see how far you've come. The only problem is, the descent looks dizzying. You have to pick your footing more carefully. It's not just charging forward anymore, it's figuring out how you got there in the first place. It can be terrifying at times, but somehow, miraculously, you make it down.

Then you have to ask yourself, was it really worth it? You're not sure until you tell someone you made it to the top. When they hear of your tale, their impressed. It's enough, enough that you might even do it again.

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So now, I get the pleasure of tagging three other writers to carry on the torch!

1. Terron James at The Beholders Series

2. Katie at Katie Madison, Author blog

3. Anmol at Impact of thoughts

Wahoo! I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!