Reverse Hibernating and the Tour

by C.L. Phillips

Did you know novel writing is like the Tour de France?  For those of you that don't spend the month of July reverse hibernating on the couch, let me explain.

From Wikipedia, the definition of reverse hibernating:

"In warmer climes, the human reverse hibernates when temperatures exceed one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.  Advanced practitioners venture forth from their nests in the early morning hours (before seven a.m.) or in the late evening (after nine p.m.) and spend the remainder of their day huddled over air conditioning vents, preferably with their hands wrapped around an insulated glass filled with a local beverage called, Sweet Tea.  Do not attempt to dislodge the human from its air conditioning or interrupt the flow of Sweet Team.  Doing so has been known to provoke severe attacks."

So during July, when the heat is at its worst, I watch the Tour de France bicycle race.  Why?  Because it's the only place where I can see someone sweating more than I am. Misery loves company, and to quote the commentators of the race, "These boys are suffering."

Which brings me to my final point.  The Tour de France is like Novel Writing.  Some folks excel at the first draft, like the sprinters.  Others scale impossible heights, climbing the Pyrenees and Alps, like the novelist that perseveres through the ugly middle, connecting the flats to the finish line.  But it's the all-rounders, those writers who carry both the sweet balance of strength, agility and speed that win the race.

The Tour de France is a three-week bicycle race.  Over two thousand miles.  Twenty one stages.  And at the end, the participants are separated by mere seconds.  Yes, this sport reminds me of novel writing and publishing.  Each participant, extremely talented, attempting something a mere mortal knows to avoid.  The epic human struggle played out on the race course inspires me to write.  The suffering inspires me to take chances.  The stories of the men who race gives me a window into the soul of mankind.


All this while reverse hibernating, clutching the insulated glass, as my sweat slowly drips into the air conditioning vent.

May you be inspired to write today.

New Beginnings

By Laurissa

The month of March is a fickle one: one day, birds are chirping, and the sun is shining; the next, it’s raining or even possibly snowing. There’s no telling what to expect from Mother Nature during this month. While I’m thinking about it, I guess that’s what I love about this month – waking up each morning, anticipating the warmer weather to come, and knowing there’s a chance that today might be that very day.




It’s this idea that today might be that very day, which I find inspiring, not just during the month of March, but every day. How often have we all heard, “today is the first day of the rest of your life?” Or, to put it another way, “it’s never too late for a fresh start” or a “new beginning.” I’m inspired to know that I don’t have to continue doing the same old thing that didn’t work for me in the past; it’s a new day -- I can do things differently…today. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be a new day for a new beginning. Sometimes it can be just a simple decision to change my attitude or thought process, and I’ve created a fresh start. I’m inspired to know it’s never too late to start over or to make a change.



Throughout this month, I’ve been reading the wonderful advice and insight offered by the other Working Stiffs and guest bloggers. I’ve not only read each and every post and the comments made by readers, but I’ve also been taking notes. As a new writer the insight I’ve gained this month from experienced writers has been invaluable. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and writing advice.



I think the idea of starting anew is also what draws me to write. Through writing we have the opportunity to create on each new blank sheet of paper whatever we want to create. We don’t have to write what we wrote yesterday and we don’t have to write short stories because that’s “our thing.” We can fill that blank sheet of paper with whatever words we choose…it’s a new page to be filled however we want to fill it, and that to me, is very inspiring.