A freewrite is taking a subject or an idea and going with it for a certain amount of time. When doing a freewrite you write fast and not efficiently. You do not want to worry about what it sounds like you just want to write as much as you can.
Freewrite help you by getting you out of the zone of editing while you write. It helps you by freeing your mind for the time you are writing. As I write this I keep backspacing and editing while I go; making sure each sentence sounds like the last one. It makes it hard to get what you want on the screen because you somewhat forget where you were going with something. Freewrites help because you don't care that you missed the apostrophe in "don't" or that you misspelled "apostrophe," which lets you move on and get everything you want down on the paper or screen.
In my last English 100 class the professor had us do some freewrites so I knew what to expect from the paper. I do love freewrites and I completely understand why they help, but the only thing I do not like about them is that my hand starts to hurt from writing so much.
Great way to suggest the "Zone" that is a vicious cycle we fall into ...kinda like the pit of no return!! But I feel this is going to be my new best friend!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reading
Daye
Hi Ryan,
ReplyDeleteThe freewrite reminds us that writing is a process. We should generate ideas, draft, revise, and then edit. Too many writers try to do all four, or a combination of them, at the same time. It might help the writer get the assignment done faster, but it doesn't produce the best results.
Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about your hand hurting if you're freewriting on paper. I think typing the freewrites in our course will help.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Take care,
Lauren
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with the downside of freewriting. My hand was killing me halfway through the process. I was enjoying writing, but I would have liked a five minute period of writing. I guess i'll just have to work through the pain!
I also had the opportunity to do freewrites before. My senior year of high school, my English teacher had us do a couple. I'm sure he explained the purpose they serve, but I must have not been paying attention. It isn't until now that I really understand why freewrites are beneficial. I honestly think that writing is crucial in anyone's life. There's so much that you can do if you're able to visually express what's going on in your head.
Hi Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI also find this is a great way to not loose your though process and love to do free write because you sometimes get better stuff out of them then you plan on if you ever go back and ready your free writes.
John Lewis
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that freewriting is a time to just let loose and write down what you thinking about at that exact moment. Free writes help in that you can finally be careless of how you write and what you write about.
Jarrod
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteId have to say the thing I like the most about freewrites is the freedom to misspell and abbreviate. Sometime I feel like my thought process is slowed down when i write and stop to worry about spelling and grammar. By just writing I get my best thoughts out and I know my writing and like you put it if i forget an Apostraphy i still know what I meant because its my style of writing. I to had freewrites in my last class i really liked them and look forward to using them again.