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Humanities LibreTexts

2.1.1: Freewriting

  • Page ID
    360594

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    Freewriting is an exercise in which you write freely by jotting down or listing ideas, writing paragraphs, asking questions or taking off on tangents, about a topic for a set amount of time (usually three to five minutes or until you run out of ideas or energy). Jot down any thoughts that come to your mind. Try not to worry about what you are saying, how it sounds, whether it is good or true, grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Instead, write as quickly as you can without stopping. If you are stuck, just copy the same word or phrase repeatedly until you come up with a new thought or write about why you cannot continue. Just keep writing; that is the power of this technique!

    Writing often comes easier when you have a personal connection with the topic. Remember, to generate ideas in your freewriting; think about readings that you have enjoyed or that have challenged your thinking. Then write about it. Doing this may lead your thoughts in interesting directions. Quickly recording your thoughts on paper will help you discover what you have to say about a topic. When writing quickly, try not to doubt or question your ideas, but if you do, write those, too. Allow yourself to write freely and spontaneously. Once you start writing with few limitations, you may find you have more to say than you first realized. Your flow of thoughts can lead you to discover more ideas about the topic as well as different perspectives on it. Freewriting may even lead you to discover another topic that excites you even more than your original idea. Freewriting can also be used to narrow a topic and/or to develop supporting ideas once a broad topic has been chosen.

    Freewriting simply means putting your pen to the paper and writing whatever comes into your head about an assigned writing topic. The process might look like this:

    • Time yourself for at least five minutes.
    • Read the topic, think about some ideas and then begin writing.
    • Don't worry about grammar or punctuation -- the purpose of free-writing is to get ideas written out without worrying about other issues.
    • The key is to keep writing, even when you are having difficulty thinking of something to say.

    Example:
    I love social media—it keeps me busy, but very distracting too because I have to check my phone all the time so I can’t focus on homework—but I get it done anyway, so who cares LOL….I post selfies all the time. I know how to pose and my best angles…. I feel so good when I get likes on my posts. I hate when my mom posts fat baby pics of me—she thinks they are cute, but I hate it why does my gramma have to be on Fb—I hate helping her on the computer—she wants me to do everything and now she wants to be my friend –no way!

    The following video Freewriting 101: How to Freewrite for your College Essay discusses the process of freewriting.