Freewriting for Ideas

Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

1241

Abstract

ff running through my head. No matter how jacked up it seems, I let it all out.I don’t really edit, I just go with the flow. Off-the-wall words become sentences. Sentences become ideas. Ideas become possible posts. I’ve written a couple of pieces that I wouldn’t have thought of doing beforehand. It gets a lot of the “noise” out and allows the thoughts to solidify.The RulesIn a traditional freewrite, there are a few rules. They are:1.) You’re supposed to write without any editing. 2.) You’re supposed to set an exact time limit. 3.) You’re supposed to write without stopping to think.I’ve never been known for playing by the rules.Me? I write in spurts. I have to stop and edit once in a while. A blaring typo will kill my train of thought. I can’t write for a specified amount of time. I write until my train either gets sidetracked or derails altogether. However, I do try to adhere to the last rule. Writing without allowing your inner critic to join you is very liberating.The ResultsWhen I hit a point where my mind has gone blank, I look back over everything I’ve wri

Options

tten. Sometimes it comes off as me just blowing smoke, but I can usually find something in the words that can be turned into an informative post. I don’t have to use the piece as a whole, just pick out some of the more interesting aspects.Sometimes what I’ve written causes me to ask more questions. Something will spark an idea and I have to dig a little to expand on it. Sometimes I come up with a solution to an issue I didn’t even know I had. It’s amazing what can be produced in this manner.I’ve found that freewriting is a wonderful tool in helping me gather my thoughts. It’s helped me focus on projects-in-progress and offered some new ideas at the same time. I’ve done freewrites that have given me whole new ideas and some that made me really question my own sanity. But the most amazing thing, for me, is that most times I sleep better at night. My mind is clear, my thoughts are at rest, and I feel more relaxed.I truly believe that all writers can benefit from freewriting. I invite everyone to give it a try. It gives you a chance to organize your thoughts. It’s inspiring, it’s exhilarating, and it’s just an idea.© Christine Graves 2020</article></body>

Freewriting for Ideas

A tool to help organize our thoughts

You want to write but nothing seems to be working. Nothing makes sense. Nothing sounds right. It all feels forced. So how do you get past it? How about doing a freewrite?

I’m a firm believer in using freewriting as a tool to get yourself out of a writing funk. I’ve used this method hundreds of times. It’s amazing what I can come up with while getting a lot of stuff off my mind. It is both productive and therapeutic. Here’s how I go about a freewrite.

The Blank Page

One of the most intimidating things in my writing day is that flippin’ blank page. It stares back at me as if saying, “Well, whatcha gonna do?”. I’ve been known to spend hours just staring back. That’s when I just start typing. Nothing planned, just the stuff running through my head. No matter how jacked up it seems, I let it all out.

I don’t really edit, I just go with the flow. Off-the-wall words become sentences. Sentences become ideas. Ideas become possible posts. I’ve written a couple of pieces that I wouldn’t have thought of doing beforehand. It gets a lot of the “noise” out and allows the thoughts to solidify.

The Rules

In a traditional freewrite, there are a few rules. They are:

1.) You’re supposed to write without any editing. 2.) You’re supposed to set an exact time limit. 3.) You’re supposed to write without stopping to think.

I’ve never been known for playing by the rules.

Me? I write in spurts. I have to stop and edit once in a while. A blaring typo will kill my train of thought. I can’t write for a specified amount of time. I write until my train either gets sidetracked or derails altogether. However, I do try to adhere to the last rule. Writing without allowing your inner critic to join you is very liberating.

The Results

When I hit a point where my mind has gone blank, I look back over everything I’ve written. Sometimes it comes off as me just blowing smoke, but I can usually find something in the words that can be turned into an informative post. I don’t have to use the piece as a whole, just pick out some of the more interesting aspects.

Sometimes what I’ve written causes me to ask more questions. Something will spark an idea and I have to dig a little to expand on it. Sometimes I come up with a solution to an issue I didn’t even know I had. It’s amazing what can be produced in this manner.

I’ve found that freewriting is a wonderful tool in helping me gather my thoughts. It’s helped me focus on projects-in-progress and offered some new ideas at the same time. I’ve done freewrites that have given me whole new ideas and some that made me really question my own sanity. But the most amazing thing, for me, is that most times I sleep better at night. My mind is clear, my thoughts are at rest, and I feel more relaxed.

I truly believe that all writers can benefit from freewriting. I invite everyone to give it a try. It gives you a chance to organize your thoughts. It’s inspiring, it’s exhilarating, and it’s just an idea.