Alright team, buckle up cause we’re diving straight into how I banged out legit hiking quotes this morning without pulling my hair out. Total beginner vibes here – no stress.
The Ugly First Attempts
Woke up, coffee in hand, laptop open. Blank screen staring back. Tried forcing it. Typed crap like “Nature is cool” and “Just start walking.” Deleted everything. Felt like a total dork. Remembered I scribbled notes during last weekend’s muddy trail disaster – the steep climb that nearly killed me. Grabbed that crumpled notebook instead. Real stories beat forced fluff.
What Actually Worked
Opened a new doc. Didn’t overthink. Just dumped raw trail moments:
- Saw moss crawling over rocks like green velvet
- Paused halfway, thighs burning, and a hawk circled right above
- Slid down a slope, mud caked to my knees, laughing like an idiot
No poetry yet. Just bullet points of stuff that stuck in my head. Then picked ONE moment – the hawk. Wrote three different takes:
- “Eyes on the peak? Look up. Wings carve the silence.” (Too artsy)
- “That hawk wasn’t struggling. It was dancing. Maybe we should too.” (Better)
- “Summits are great. But the real magic? When the sky throws you a high five.” (Winner.)
See? Took the real feeling – that relief when I stopped struggling and watched the bird – and wrapped it in dirt-simple words.
My Stupid-Simple Process Now
- Raid your memories. Scrap paper, phone pics, that nagging trail thought. Mine it first.
- Pick one specific ache/joy/sight. Not the whole hike. Just a pebble that stuck in your boot.
- Blurt it out plain. “Got soaked, slipped, almost cried.” Real = relatable.
- Flip the pain (or joy) sideways. “Almost cried” became “The mountain reminds you it’s boss. Thank it later.”
- Trim fat like bacon. Cut “absolutely beautiful stunning view.” Use “sun punched through clouds.” Active verbs punch harder.
Took me maybe 15 minutes once I stopped trying to sound deep. Your turn. Find your muddy moment. Twist it. Keep it human. Boom.