When your creativity is feeling stifled (described by many as writer’s block) it means you’re not in flow, but there’s a super way to beat writer’s block an d get back in flow and it’s called freewriting!

Freewriting is also known as ‘automatic writing’ It is fast writing, generally written for the writer and not the reader. It is not usually shared. It’s commonly used in writing classes as a warm-up exercise, often with a prompt, either visual or written. But it can also be used at home as an exercise before starting your daily writing, or as a means to beat writer’s block. Written freehand, it’s a way to write without thinking or editing. It taps into the secret parts of the unconscious. Freewriting helps with writer’s block as it can be an amazing way to connect ideas. It’s often revealing.

Example:

There is no right or wrong way to freewrite. You simply start writing and watch where the mind takes you. You’ll notice that it creates links and bridges along the way. Here’s a one minute free writing exercise on doctors:

Doctors:

Need to go to the doctor. Her name is Maria. I like Maria because she’s always smiling and she smells of honeysuckle, which is my favourite flower. Her surgery is upstairs and I have to climb up. It’s a steep stairway and I wonder how elderly people manage. It’s a private clinic with nice leather sofas which I stick to when its hot out. Maria charges a bit and my mum says she may be expensive but that you get what you pay for in this world. Maria always treats me really well and she makes me feel comfortable. She likes to talk and find out what I’ve been doing and how I’ve been keeping. It feels like she genuinely does care about her patients, unlike some doctors I’ve come across in the past. Maria places a stethoscope on my chest. It feels cold and makes me shiver. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I used to play doctors and nurses with my sister. Back then I wanted to be a doctor when I got older, but that all changed since I shone at maths and decided to become an accountant instead.

How Is It Done?

A freewriting session can last from one minute (as above) to fifteen. Very often freewriting begins with a focus, such as a word, ‘doctors’, a visual prompt like a photograph or an object, or even a statement / question such as ‘is it a good idea to spank your children?’ Focus on the topic and keep these rules in mind:

• Write non-stop for a set period of time
• Do not make corrections as you write.
• Keep writing, even if you have to write something like, “I don’t know what to write.”
• Write whatever comes into your mind.
• Do not judge or censor what you are writing.
• Try not to think too hard – just write!
• Use the writing tool that is most comfortable for you– pencil, computer, or whatever.
• It’s a good idea to read your freewriting out loud when you’ve finished. Often you will pick up an idea that you hadn’t noticed as you wrote it. Spend a couple of minutes going through your freewriting. See if any other ideas or patterns emerge?

Why Is It Done?

Freewriting helps you access all the information you have stored away in your subconscious. It literally forces you to place words on page without stopping. It also helps to discover connections which you might not have noticed previously.

Benefits of Freewriting

It makes you more comfortable with the act of writing.
It helps you bypass the “inner critic” who tells you that you can’t write.
It helps to release inner tensions.
It helps you discover things to write about.
It indirectly improves your formal writing.

You can use freewriting at the beginning of each day, or to explore specific topics or themes, such as your main characters, the setting / location of scenes, or at any point when you are want to beat writer’s block. It’s a great tool and one which you’ll come to adore!

Love & Light,
The Word Queen xxx