Tuesday, July 19, 2016

6 Ways Unicycling Is Like Writing by Jim Hill

My family gave me a unicycle for Father's Day. They might be trying to kill me. Thirty days later, I'm still alive – Ha! – and covered in wisdom. Or maybe those are bruises. Whatever. The point is, I've discovered that learning to ride my one-wheeled-antagonist is a lot like writing a novel. Strap on your helmet and wrist guards, and I'll explain.


A photo posted by @heyjimhill on

1. It Seems Like a Good Idea at First
Unbridled optimism might be the first sign you could be a writer or a unicyclist. You're sure in your heart-of-hearts that this new undertaking is a great idea, and you can definitely get it done if you work hard enough. This feeling is followed by the realization that...

2. You Have No Idea What You're Doing
Whether saddling up for the first time or staring at the blank screen while the cursor pulses in silent judgment, you quickly realize you're clueless about how to begin. Congratulations! You're on your way! To the emergency room. Or maybe the Newbery Award. I'm just saying prepare yourself for anything at this point, is all.

A video posted by @heyjimhill on

3. Research is Key
Write what you know is a cute aphorism, but maybe a bit of a lie. Unicycle what you know is straight-up crazy talk. Research is your friend, the Tom to your Huck, the Martin to your Lewis. I wouldn't even have been able to get on that cyclopean-death-steed if I hadn't googled and YouTubed beforehand. The same can be said about writing. Do I know which fork to use first at a State Dinner, or the melting point of human flesh? No, no I don't. But the internet does. If that fails, your friendly, neighborhood librarian is just an email away. (Raise your hand if you think the NSA has you flagged for some "necessary" search topics. Yup, me too.)

4. It's Hard to Tell Where You're Headed
Plotter or pantser, sometimes you wander off the main road and end up in the garden. Ask yourself, "Is that poison ivy?" and "is anything happening in this scene that moves the plot forward?"

Atop the mono hoop-of-shame, you have to activate your core to stay on course. So, what is the core of your writing? The characters. What do the characters want, what do they need, and what's in their way? When you're face down in the hydrangea, take a moment to check in with your characters, and they'll pull you out of the weeds. (I may have sprained my metaphorical ankle with this one.)

5. Sometimes You Fall on Your [REDACTED]


A video posted by @heyjimhill on


This is the part of Hero's Journey when the hero faces abject failure and almost quits, but then somehow beats the odds to return with the elixir. The elixir, in this instance, being a large bottle of Advil.

Writing has similar, less (physically) painful pitfalls. You will hit them. Good crit partners will be there to ask if you're okay and get you back up and pedaling toward a resolution in no time.

6. Butt In Chair (or Seat)
Yolen's Law gets the job done on the page and on the road. You're not going to get better thinking about writing or riding. You're going to get better by doing them. A novel is a big, intimidating goal. Mastering the single-wheeled-conveyance-of-clowns-and-doom is too. I'm nowhere near joining the circus, but I am better than I was yesterday. So don't sit down to write a novel, sit down to write the next sentence, the next paragraph, and the next scene. You can get a lot accomplished with just two pages a day. Keep track. Celebrate your progress. Jump for joy.

Meanwhile, if you need a unicyclist that's good for about eight to ten feet at a time, I'm available.

A video posted by @heyjimhill on

13 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this piece. Thanks for the humor and inspiration!

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  2. I love this quote, Jim: "When you're face down in the hydrangea take a moment to check in with your characters, and they'll pull you out of the weeds."

    Thanks for the laughs and for the focus with this:

    "...don't sit down to write a novel, sit down to write the next sentence, the next paragraph, and the next scene."

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    1. Thanks, Paul. I like advice leavened with humor. It makes it more accessible, right?

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  3. This is maybe my favorite PM post ever! Thanks for the laughs and the video chronicle. I fully expect to see you unicycling on stage to accept your Newbery award some day.

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    1. That's high praise, Michael. Thanks! I like your vision of my future. ;-)

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  4. Inspirational, Jim! The writing part, that is. I think I'll take a pass on learning to unicycle. I admire your persistence though, which is another attribute one needs to be a writer.

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    1. I'll bring the unicycle to our next gathering and let you try!

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  5. LOVE this post! Been following your unicycle adventures and this is a great spin on its challenges compared to writing. Love this: So don't sit down to write a novel, sit down to write the next sentence, the next paragraph, and the next scene. You can get a lot accomplished with just two pages a day. Keep track. Celebrate your progress. Jump for joy.

    And we have to keep getting up, right? Your persistence shines through. I want to know though, did you tally up how many bruises it took to master it? :)

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    1. "this is a great spin" Hey! I write the bad jokes around here.

      Thanks. Persistence is crucial.

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Thanks for adding to the mayhem!