One of the many challenges facing writers is learning to generate text; source material from which to craft an essay, an article or even a book. The blank page can be daunting. For me the answer has been free writing. I define free writing as writing whatever comes to mind as it comes to mind.
When I am working on a particular topic I can start with a prompt that is associated with my topic and I will just let my mind go. It is through this process that I discover what it is I want to say. Sometimes I can use some of the material I produce. Many times it is just the spark of discovery that allows me to tackle my project afresh. But to get the most out of free writing you must let go completely of all expectations of perfection. Writing is a process and it takes time and practice to shape thoughts and feelings into meaningful stories. The goal of free writing is to just get your thoughts down on paper. A writing friend once told me, “Don’t get it right, just get it.” We have to pin down an idea before we can examine it or decide what to make of it.
It works like this. Pick a topic that is meaningful to you. Then let your thought process unfold as you write everything that comes to mind. If it’s helpful, give yourself a time limit. Your writing will likely take you on a tangent or several tangents wandering far from the original topic. That is exactly what you want to happen. Free. Wander. Discover. Once you hit on something that has some energy behind it you will find that you pick up on that thread and really start taking it places. It may be only for last for a few sentences or for whole pages. Either way the process works by helping you, the writer, discover what it is that you want to say and more importantly, what you have the motivation and energy to write about.
Free writing is like wandering through a flower garden. So much to see, so much interest and if you find something really compelling you might end up with a bouquet for your table. Whenever I am stuck on any piece of writing I always open up a new document and start free writing. It has no boundaries or expectations so it becomes easy to do. You just write what is in your head.
It takes a little practice because we have been conditioned to ignore or censor the first thing that comes to mind. If you find yourself unable to free write, just notice what you stopped yourself from writing and that is where the tangle lies. Notice how you censor yourself and write that you notice you censor yourself and see where that takes you.
Free writing is the ultimate in creative expression; it is a form of play, of being in the flow, of feeling totally uninhibited. Practicing free writing will prevent writers block every single time. Free writing asks nothing of you but to express, something that we do naturally and effortlessly anyway. In the spirit of full disclosure, this article is a product of a free writing exercise that resulted in me writing about free writing! Go ahead. Free your pen, your fingers and keyboard, free your mind and see what it is that you want to say.
