Freewriting

Freewriting is the practice of writing constantly without stopping, without interruption, and with the goal of creating a stream of thoughts from the mind to the fingers to the paper (wooden or digital). How does this process work? In theory, it allows ideas to be captured without judgment and editing. It reveals what the writer really thinks about a subject and not what he/she is supposed to think (like writing “he/she” rather than “he”). It has only been two weeks, but it appears to work … to some degree.

There is a difference as Dr Field claimed between handwriting and typewriting. In hand writing the mind is actually a little further ahead of the hand in capturing ideas, so there is some time to prepare an idea before it is put down on paper. However, when handwriting, the brain is busy moving the muscles of the hand and seems to be less inclined evaluate ideas consciously. So the part of the brain that is evaluating ideas is less conscious than when typewriting. When typing on the computer, the brain is must more free to mess with the ideas as they are born. So, the dialog is a little more stilted and halting. Also, through years of practice the hands and eyes have been taught to spot and correct typographical errors as they hit the page. Therefore, the reflex to hit the “backspace” key happens almost automatically. It is must more difficult to leave things as they fall. Also, the eye is constantly being queued by the red squiggly lines under “bad” words on the page. The computer is telling you that you have made a mistake … and you had better correct it right away.

Does this process reveal new thoughts to the writer himself (or more politically correct “themselves” or him or herself). In some cases, yes. However, in most cases it simply forces the mind to organize ideas that have floated in the mind without structure. Thoughts are much less concrete and organized that everyone believes of themselves. What you know is hidden in a mist of chemical slush. Those thoughts appear to be organized and expressed only on demand. When not called for they remain a floating mess, like the floor in my daughters’ rooms. So, freewriting (and writing of any form), forces the mind to organize thoughts and to put them in a form that is more solid and permanently expressive. What they say is often surprising, though not necessarily completely unknown to the writer.

Do I edit my thoughts in spite of the freewriting rules? Certainly. There are some thoughts that are so socially unacceptable, that we constantly guard against expressing them. Religion, morals, and society try to teach us not to have such thoughts, but they really succeed in teaching us to suppress them. The act of freewriting often skirts dangerously close to allowing ideas to escape, whose very existence is denied. These may range from the criminal to the simply rude. Like Jeckle and Hyde, every man (woman) is filled with the juices of good and evil. Some people simply are not interested in really evil things, so they are mild. However, others are not interested in good, so they become outwardly vile. In a doctoral program, I would expect mostly mild people (except Kathie who is a rabid Steelers fan who has been taught to love violence as entertainment … oops, who let that thought out … get back in your cage rude dog).

So, will the class and I continue freewriting when this cource is over? No of course not. In general, this is homework, not a lifestyle. However, we will be equipped with an invaluable tool. When writing our dissertations we will face many periods of writers’ block. Hopefully, this practice will have taught us to “let go” and let the internal mind stream thoughts to paper. Such a practice may be uncontrolled, unmanaged, but it is not evil and wrong. It is not simple blather that comes out. The mind is often filled with ideas ready for capture, but the mental filters are keeping them from emerging. Remove he filters and let the ideas out. Then you can look at them later. You have 30 minutes to spend on your dissertation … is it better to stare in frustration at a blank page or to release the hounds and let a stream of any wild ideas come out? In both cases, the 30 minutes will be gone. In one you will have a very well guarded piece of white paper, in the other you will have a quagmire of ideas, which will have some gems in it.

Freewriting is mining the mind.