Why writing a book is NOT like running an ultra marathon

For a start, it's not a race. Luckily

Matthieu Bonne celebrates his 48-hour world record.

I’ve heard running authors in the past compare writing a book to running an ultra marathon, but I’m here to say that while, yes, there are some similarities, the two things are actually very different. One key difference is that how quickly you write a book is not very important, whereas half the point of an ultra marathon - and more than half the point if you’re a competitive runner - is to get to the finish as quickly as you can.

With writing a book, however, the cutoffs (aka deadlines) are not just there for the back-of-the-pack, amateur writers, but for everyone - even the very best writers. And missing a cutoff doesn’t mean you are disqualified.

Which is lucky, since the deadline for my Ireland book has just passed, and I haven’t finished writing it. But rather than stick me on a bus to the finish, where I’ll grab my things and go home without a medal, and with my tail between my legs, the organisers (publishers) have simply extended the cutoff.