How to do freewriting

The stream-of-consciousness tool that defeats writer's block

One of the most popular exercises in my workshops are “freewriting” prompts. As the writer Ray Bradbury put it: “don’t think, just write.”

What that means in practice is that you give yourself a prompt (“what do I want this chapter to achieve?”; “who is my ideal audience?”; “what do I really think about this theory?”) and then write without stopping, editing, or analysing for a set period of time. Freewriting is a bit like a muscle, so it’s generally best to start with three or four minutes to begin. But I know some authors who freewrite whole drafts, in “not thinking” mode for thousands of words at a time.

I think the reason my academic attendees often take to freewriting so eagerly, once they get the hang of it, is that it unlocks a part of their mind that academic discipline usually discourages: intuitive, impulsive, undefensive writing. This is of great potential benefit because often academic writing lacks a sense of energy, flow, or spontaneity.

The crucial thing to remember is: no one has to see your freewriting exercises! You can use them as a scratchpad or just a first draft. The point is to see what comes out when you’re not thinking about the million responsibilities you have as an academic, and get in touch with your stream of consciousness. Another use might be to reveal to yourself biases or instincts you want to avoid in a more polished, thorough draft.

You can come up with your own freewriting prompts based on your particular need. I like to suggest them for big structural questions, because those can be the hardest to see when you’re mired in research.

Here are two freewriting prompts to get started, one narrow and one broad.

Narrow prompt: Take a paragraph or short section of writing that you’re struggling with. What are you trying to say?

Broad prompt: Imagine someone just finished reading your finished book. How do you want them to feel?