Freewriting

“The consequence [of writing] is that you must start by writing the wrong meanings in the wrong words; but keep writing until you get to the right meanings in the right words. Only in the end will you know what you are saying.” —Peter Elbow

“Don’t think; just write!” —Ray Bradbury

Freewriting, a writing strategy developed by Peter Elbow in 1973, is similar to brainstorming but is written in sentence and paragraph form without stopping. Thus, it . . .

1. increases the flow of ideas and reduces the chance that you’ll accidentally censor a good idea.
2. helps to increase fluency second-language learners—i.e., the ability to produce written language easily (as opposed to accuracy, which is of course important but which is better addressed later in the process).

As in brainstorming,

• DO write down every idea you can think of about your topic, no matter how "crazy"; you can judge later! (And no one else is going to see it)
• DON'T worry about correct grammar or spelling;

Freewriting emphasizes quantity over quality. This is super important because it suggests a more forgiving, self-accepting view of the self as a person (or a writer). Maximum quantity only happens if we invite everything in and don't pause to correct ourselves. 

Instead of fixing or editing, while freewriting writers develop a higher tolerance for their inevitable moments of dull or repetitive thinking. Writers operate out of faith that there's a natural abundance of other material in their ongoing inner production of language. Freewriters trust themselves more.

Did you know that you can use writing as a meditation technique? Writing meditations are prompts that help you use the focused process of deliberate writing to encourage creativity and mindful concentration.

In this way, writing is a mindful practice, meaning you are grounded in the present moment to reflect and respond to what your senses have noticed. Writing a letter or journaling produces a mental workout that provides social-emotional health benefits.

How do you “do” writing meditations?

Select a “meditation” or writing prompt. Find a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Sit in a comfortable position and set a timer for 5–20 minutes. Spend up to a minute settling and preparing, then take a few deep breaths and begin to write.

To get the best results from writing meditations and journaling:

• Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, just get thoughts into words on a page
• Be open, honest and authentic with the knowledge that no one else is going to read it
• Write by hand in cursive or short-hand if possible, although typing fast into a word processor can work as well (if you avoid editing)
• Write a lot – as much as you can in the available time.

Remember that for writing meditations, you are training yourself to focus on a writing task, accepting that you may lose focus, and then returning to focus.

In addition to the meditative benefits of exercising your ability to focus, a side benefit will be creating output, clarifying your thinking and being reflective and productive.