Free writing is one of the most powerful, yet often overlooked tools to help writers clear their heads and open themselves up to new ideas. If done properly, the practice is incredibly effective at easing writer’s block by helping writers focus and free themselves from their inner critics. Being stuck at home during a pandemic is at an all-time high
Free Writing and the Subconscious Mind
Writer’s block isn’t about being unable to come up with ideas, but about being resistant to the difficult process of editing and self-criticism
- Free writing helps liberate the writer from the editor in their mind
- The subconscious mind holds the ideas that you truly want to write about and how you want to go about writing them
The Science Behind Free Writing
Free writing has been scientifically proven to help writers focus and gain confidence in their writing abilities
- In 2006, researchers found that free writing exercises helped students develop a deeper understanding of how to produce high quality academic writing
- Through free writing, students allowed themselves to look inward and explore what writing a good paper meant to them, and it helped them clarify what effective academic writing meant in the context of their university’s expectations
Tips and Tricks for Effective Free Writing
Write nonstop
- Use a timer
- Do not censor yourself
- Treat free writing as an exercise that has no end goal, rather than an exercise for coming up with ideas
- Utilize a pen and paper
- Choose a prompt that best suits your needs
- Save your free writing so you can refer to it later
