Free Yourself with a Free Write
Here’s a little tidbit about the joy of freeing yourself and your creativity with free writing. This is a great technique to use when you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start with a writing project.
A free write is a fun exercise to spill your mind chatter, messy guts, and even messages from God/Spirit onto paper. In this process, much of what you write may not make a lot of sense, and that’s just fine. But, the more words you get down, the more chances there are for some sparkly gems to be tucked in there as well. The act of free writing is a way to sidestep your inner-critic and help you access fresh ideas and magic.
Want to try it? Here’s what to do:
* Set a timer for 8-10 minutes
* Start your pen engines
* If you like, pick a writing prompt. You might try “What do I need to know about today…” and see where that takes you. Or open a magazine or book to a random page and point to a word or sentence—let that be where you start…
* On your marks, ready, set, GO—off with your pen!
* Just a few important things to make this exercise really shine: The goal is not to lift your writing instrument and not to pause to think—instead step out of your way and let the words flow through you onto the page with no judgment.
* Also, it works best if you don’t edit or correct or cross out. Anytime you get stuck on what to write, simply keep the pen moving—make up nonsense words, try rhyming, ask a question or write: “Why am I doing this? This is bullshit!” or something of the sort, until your next idea comes.
Beeeeep. Time is up. Hopefully you’ll have written at least two or three pages of material.
If it looks messy, that’s good! If your hand or arm is tired, rest assured, you hit a creativity vein.
But, wait, there’s more…
Now, go back over what you’ve written and circle words, phrases or sentences that pop out either because they have nice imagery or a really cool idea revealed itself to you. See if you can string together those words/sentences into a poem. What did you discover? Do share!
