Writing is a sedentary activity. So are a lot of other creative pursuits. For me, getting my body moving can really shift my mood and loosen up ideas. But I am often guilty of hunkering down and not moving for long stretches. Or just squeezing writing between chores which are also not terribly active: driving, laundry, cooking, banking. During a fantastic relaxation massage early last week (thanks Ruth & Warren, I finally used my birthday gift certificate!), a whole new idea for a novel popped into my head. I’ve experienced something like that before with a good massage, though it’s usually solving a small story problem in whatever I’m currently working on.

The amazing Sherry Berkin (writers group) got me moving again last Tuesday. We went on an agent hike. Literary agent Jill Corcoran met with a group of five local writers and we set off, with her two energetic dogs, along the fire trails that run high along the ridges of  the Palos Verdes peninsula looking out over the ocean and Catalina Island. The views were spectacular and the company was great. Afterwards we had our work critiqued by Jill, shared thoughts on how to best run a writers group, and swapped contact details. Who knew writing and hiking went together?