I'm not normally nervous about my writing--except for the endings.

This seems to happen every time I get within a few chapters of the climax. Suddenly, I'm worried about getting it just right.

I didn't go for my walk on Wednesday, then I worked on Thursday. Friday I wrote a chapter, but I was unsatisfied with it. It was more like the way I used to write. I had a vague idea (without any details or hooks) of what I wanted and just tried to do it.

Didn't go for a walk. Too hot.

Saturday spent the entire day coloring a mandala--yes, my wife has been pro-craft--inating for a few months, but up until yesterday I avoided it. It is entirely too addictive.

I couldn't think of what to write. I'm like 3 chapters from the end, folks.

Again, it was too hot, but I couldn't stand it and went for my walk anyway. Why do I keep talking about my walk? Because it appears that it has become a crucial part of the process.

I was discouraged at the beginning of the walk, but by the end of the walk I had fleshed out the details of the ending. All the cool little details that make it work.

So now I have the hooks that will pull me into the story, and that's what I need. I won't be finishing today, the end of the month, like I'd hoped, but will finish in the next couple of days.

Only one worry. Apparently, I've wrapped my walks into my writing process so much I can't seem to write without it. Fortunately, there are only a few days every year where I can't walk. Just a few days in the winter were too cold or snowy, and only a few days this spring where it rained hard, and a few days this summer where I thought it was too hot.

But I suppose I can always go for a walk, no matter where I am, so that seems like an unnecessary worry.

Besides, it gets me out of the house and is good for me. I tend to get in a little box when I'm writing and feel all constrained if I don't watch out. The walk instantly airs out my brain, my stress drops away, and I'm in the moment.

So cool either way.