Approaches to Writing
Freewriting

Freewriting is a useful "pre-writing" activity that allows you to come up with new ideas through stream-of-consciousness writing. It is especially useful to generate ideas for a paper topic.

Get your subject in mind, then write freely for three to five minutes without interruption. Don't let your pen leave the page (or your fingers the keyboard), except to move to the next word. Try not to judge what you're writing. Try not to worry about grammar, spelling, logical connections between ideas, or lapses in thought. Just write!

Once you've finished, review what you have written and make a list of potential topics that you find there. You may be surprised at how much you already know about your subject!

See below for a freewriting sample on the subject "Crime in America," which led the writer to a list of several interesting topic ideas.

Example

SUBJECT: Crime in America
Freewriting Sample

Crime in America is a continual problem it seems. I suppose ever since the beginning of the country, since colonial times, there has been crime in America. We sure hear more about it these days, or do we? I wonder if crime in America is any worse than it has ever been. I mean, how could you know that? How could you know that, know that--yes I'm stuck. I'm stuck. I'm really stuck. What I mean to say is, how does America measure crime? What could be more criminal than the senseless murders in the street during the days of the Old West or the genocide against the American Indians? But that wasn't considered crime back then. Or was it? It would be now. Still, back then they didn't have serial killers like John Wayne Gacy. Or did they? I wonder if some of the gunslingers back then were just early-day versions of a serial killer. We hate 'em these days, back then they just had to tolerate 'em. Maybe even admired 'em.

  ARROW DOWN
  New Topic Ideas Generated in Freewriting Sample

  • the changing nature of American crime
  • historical perspective of crime in America
  • how society defines crime
  • crime in colonial America
  • crime in the Old West
  • gunslingers as early-day versions of serial killers
Any questions or comments for Kenn?
Where do I go next?
Go to "Focused Freewriting."


Web Architect: Michael L. Geiger
Content by Kenn Pierson
Created 1.19.98 -
©2000 M.L.Geiger
URL: http://www.kjpierson.com/TEACHING/ENG101