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This week: Free Write - But there are some rules! Edited by: THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  
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I attended a workshop in which we were given several free-writing exercises, with rules or guidelines to follow. I was surprised at what emerged for me. |
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Hallo Reader!
I attended a writing workshop recently, and we were given a lot of free-writing exercises to do. To my surprise, I heard that free-writing has rules attached to it! I didn’t know that before – and if you did know that, wow! I mean, I always thought that free-writing just meant ‘write whatever comes to your head’. Well, it does, but the ‘rules’ (or, let’s call them ‘guidelines’) help to make the exercise more meaningful.
Our facilitators gave us topics, and then time-limits, and we had to write on that topic for that much time, keeping these rules in mind:
1. Keep the hand moving. Trust the process and it’ll start to make sense. If you can’t think of anything to write, write that – “I can’t think of anything to write just now.”
2. Don’t cross out. Let the free-writing be pure expression. If you think of a better way to say something – write ‘I mean ...’ and write what you’d like to. But don’t cross the original word or phrase out.
3. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar or punctuation.
4. Lose control.
5. Don’t think too much or get too logical.
6. Be as specific as you can. (For example, don’t just say ‘car’ if you can, just as easily, say ‘blue Ford Anglia’.)
7. Go for the jugular. If you feel uncomfortable about a particular line of thought and want to avoid it, that’s probably where the energy lies. Don’t beat it away, dive right in.
8. You are free to write the worst junk in the entire history of writing.
Here are some free-writing exercise samples:
A. Write, for twenty minutes, on “The first kitchen I ever remember being in.”
B. Become someone who is critical of you. As that person, write a letter to you, offering advice. Five minutes. (Once that is done, write your response to that person, as yourself, for five minutes.)
C. Make a list of your fears and desires. (Ten minutes.)
Let’s discuss what could happen when you write the first one. The first kitchen you ever remember being in was probably when you were very small, most likely with your parents. Aside from the description of the kitchen, and the food cooked there, you’d probably bring out a lot of early childhood memories. Most likely, your early memories of food are wrapped up in the way your parents presented it to you, and that’s going to lead to a reflection of the way you were brought up. Don’t knock it – it happens. If you really keep the hand moving, be specific and go for the jugular, and keep at it for twenty minutes, you’re likely to start out ‘earliest kitchen’ and end up ‘upbringing’.
As for the second one – believe me, it’s hard. It’s hard to follow the ‘don’t avoid discomfort’ route. It does shake you up a bit, though, and it kind of turns you inside out and either has you laughing at yourself, or shrieking hysterically – or – at least – gaining some insights into your own character. And believe me, the ‘response’ comes as a blessed relief once the ‘advice’ is done!
I personally found it hard to spell out my own fears, and I was tempted to avoid discomfort here. Desires were easier, though I sometimes say I don’t know what I desire! Still, it was easier to make a list of ‘desires’ than that of ‘fears’.
Try it. Try free-writing as yourself, or as your character, or as whoever you want. It may help spark an idea or unblock a block!
Have fun!
Free-write On,
Sonali
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Short Stories: March 19, 2014 Issue [#6160]
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