Freewriting:
A way around Writer's Block
This is one of our tutors' favorite
techniques for helping writers who cannot get started. Freewriting
resembles the warm up you might do before exercising. There is
no "correct" way to do this, so try a variation of these
steps:
- Begin with a blank computer screen and a watch (or the clock
on the computer). You might use a pad instead--freewriting involves
generating words, not correcting them or getting just the right
word.
- Set a time for yourself. Try one, five, or ten minutes. Longer
times may not be that productive since freewriting is a "warm
up" for more focused writing.
- Begin to type or write about anything that comes into
your head. Don't stop until the time is up.
- Then review what you have written. Are there words you like?
Ideas that might work for the next project you are doing?
Focused Freewriting follows the same
process but begins with a topic:
- Put a topic of your choice, or even the topic of your next
paper, at the top of a blank page.
- Set a time limit and begin Freewriting. This time, write
down things that seem to be related to the topic. Do not worry
about order of ideas or grammatical correctness. Don't worry
if the ideas seem to be digressions.
- When time is up, look over what you have written. Pull out
ideas and phrases you can use later.
- Practice putting the Freewriting into outline form. If you
were to use the writing to begin a paper, which points would
you make first? Second?
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