I’ve been freewriting for quite a long time without knowing that freewriting is what it’s called. In fact, for a long time all of my writing was freewriting, unpolished and grasshopperish. Later, I began to see that there was quite a difference between the work of writers I esteemed and my rather more spontaneous outpourings. It appeared that the process of writing required two different levels of engagement: generativity and refinement. Here, we’re at the generativity stage, so I feel I have carte blanche to blether away as I see fit. At this point, every idea is a good idea.
Freewriting can either have a focus or none at all. It has only one real requirement, which is to keep writing without pause for a predetermined period of time. It’s a bit like being in the ocean, watching your thoughts form and then trying to set them down as they gather momentum then pass and break. In my experience the early morning, just after waking, is the best time for a bit of a freewrite. I did the one on the Wiki late at night, which was different but also had that familiar feeling of ebb and flow.
There are obvious and subtle benefits to this practice, I find. Really good ideas can come out of it, pegs on which to hang further research and thinking. But also, if you ever sit down to work and find yourself distracted by a background mutter of thinking and judgement (“oh, psychology is so difficult, why didn’t I listen to my careers teacher and become a dog groomer instead, there’s a funny smell in this library…” etc), freewriting can act as purgative to cleanse the mind and limber it up for study. If you’ve not tried it before, have a go. You’ll be both amazed at your creativity and amused by the daftness of what emerges, and surprised by how calm and energized you feel afterwards.
Just as a footnote, I’d like to add that when I began training as a writing mentor I learned that the term freewriting was coined by the eminent writing teacher Peter Elbow. He too recognizes that to create a piece of writing it’s necessary to go through two contrasting phases. For me, reading Elbow prompted a big existential exhalation. If you’re interested in the experience of writing, you’ll probably enjoy his books.
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Did Peter Elbow actually coin the phrase "freewriting"? If it wasn't him, does anyone know who did come up with this wonderful expression? Elbow is certainly one of its most persuasive advocates, and I envy the students to whom he introduced the joys of freewriting? Perhaps some of them are reading this blog... And I would love to hear other people say what freewriting means to them.
As I mentioned in one of my posts before, I have heard of the concept of freewriting but never actually seen any develop in this way. I find it an absolutely fascinating process that allows the writer to truly unleash their thoughts. In many ways it is also a confidence boosting exercise as students realise how much they actually know about a subject.I will definitely be giving this a go!
I hate to swamp your discussion board but I thought I would tell you about my attempt at freewriting. I read on the internet that you can either write or type and to save me having to type it up later I decided to type it, this was a big mistake. I found that I was constantly watching the red and green, grammar and spelling lines and felt a constant need to edit and correct my work. Compared to writing with pen and paper typing is actually rather unpleasant and puts me off writing altogether. Can I ask did you write your freewrite or type it?
becky - I think that Peter Elbow says somewhere that he sometimes freewrites at the compputer with the monitor turned off. That would solve the problem, but you would need to be an accurate typer. I prefer to freewrite by hand - there's no delete button, for one thing!
Hi Becky, it's excellent that you're having a go at freewriting and sharing your experience with us. This is just what makes this project so rewarding for me. Usually I'm with Pete on this; I freewrite by hand and with a special pencil that smells really nice, particularly when it's just been sharpened. It goes, "shh shh shh shh" on the paper - lovely!
This time round, for the first time ever, I did my freewrite by computer (and recorded it in realtime - you can replay it at http://www.phoca.net/freudfreewrite1/freudfreewrite1.html). It was, as you say, offputting. I managed to just about stay in the flow, helped by the fact that I was very tired, and proof of this is the nice collection of typos in the text. But yes, I do associate using the computer with doing later drafts of my work, so the experience was a bit different.
Perhaps we'd lose the urge to correct if we followed the advice of novelist Ludwig Borne, given to Freud:
"Take a few sheets of paper and for three days on end write down, without fabrication or hypocrisy, everything that comes into your head. Write down what you think of yourself, of your wife, of the Turkish War, of Goethe, of Fonk's trial, of the Last Judgement, of your superiors - and when three days have passed you will be quite out of your senses with astonishment at the new and unheard-of thoughts you have had."
See you Sunday ;-)
Worth sharing this information. Good Work
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