Free Writing: Restoring our love for writing

Most American school children did not learn writing so much as the elements of structure. By the time we reached high school, writing had become a painfully boring task of composing the perfect sentence. The original joy of creative expression was trapped and silenced. Many learned to hate writing because of this teaching methodology. Free writing is a way to release us from the knots of correct composition.

More importantly, it restores our love for writing, and in the process, also makes sure we get the commas in their right position.

The Basics of Free Writing

Free Writing is a generic term to describe a method of writing and editing. Gabrielle Rico can be credited with introducing the concept in her book, Writing the Natural Way, first published in 1983. Rico linked together the emerging science of hemispheric laterality with creative writing. Her book explains in straightforward language how the two halves of the brain affect writing. Briefly, the right hemisphere is associated with spontaneity and creative thought. It works in leaps and bounds. The left side of the brain views the world in a linear way, going step-by-step in an analytical pattern.

When we were learning the parts of speech and told to write our first paragraphs, all the emphasis was on the left hemisphere. We had to stop in the middle of a thought and check whether to use a comma or a colon. Our creativity (right hemisphere) was constantly interrupted by these pauses. Our finished pieces may have been grammatically pure but they lacked something essential: the wild, creative spark that is the mark of lasting literature.

A Free Writing Process

There are different ways to use free writing. But this article will concentrate on Rico's method, which can be adapted to any type of writing from a poem to an essay to a piece of fiction. She turned around and split apart the usual way we've learned to write.

First, start with what Rico calls a "core idea." This might be a single word like "summer" or "passion" or "memory." Or it could be a phrase such as "spring gardening" or "the benefits of a laptop." Write this core idea at the top of a blank sheet of paper and circle it. Now, without hesitating, begin writing every word that comes to mind when you look at your core idea. These words can radiate out like the rays of the sun. Some words will bring up their own associations. That's fine. Rico calls this process "clustering," and she uses arrows to connect radiating words with each other.

Keep writing until you begin naturally to slow down and then stop.

The next part is called a "vignette." Again, you will write without stopping (no comma checks!) and then come to a natural halt. Usually the vignette takes about ten minutes to write. You will choose your core idea and one of your radiating words or phrases as the starting point for the vignette.

For example, if your core idea is "summer," you might choose "watermelon season" as your radiating word. Begin writing this prose piece. You can include other radiating words as part of the vignette if they come to mind. But it isn't necessary to do this. It's important to allow the words to flow, and to not stop writing for a better word choice try to refine what is appearing on the page. And, you are not to be concerned about whether the English teacher will wrack your knuckles. Do not plan your vignette in advance. This is counter-productive. Allow memory and emotion to mix it up and watch the words arrive on your paper.

Editing is the final portion of this exercise. Now you and your left hemisphere can go into the vignette to correct misspellings, fix awkward phrases and refine the writing.

Benefits of Free Writing

The best way to experience the benefits of free writing is to practice it. You'll find your writing opening up and moving into new territory. Forgotten memories will emerge. Old associations between smells and sensation will arrive. Your writing will have vitality instead of stiffness. But the most telling benefit of all will make this practice worthwhile: your love for the act of writing will be renewed.