What do you write when you can't think of anything to write? You keep writing. That's what free writing is all about. (See Peter Elbow's work on the subject.) Thinking back to when Marash Girl first started teaching writing, she can't believe how staid she was in her approach. Now, freed up from the manner in which she was taught to write -- outline, introductory paragraph, main body of essay, concluding paragraph -- she now can write about nothing when she has nothing to say. (Too much to say, and no time in which to say it . . . or write it, as the case may be.) Like today. Except she must note her regret that she never got to see the eclipse of the moon last night. Did you?
I was fortunate enough to enjoy the sight of the coppery-red blood moon last night in it's fourth and last appearance of a tetrad series. The next tetrad will be in 2033. So, this was SPECIAL! Now, about free writing: You are spot on when you say free writing is about writing unencumbered by formalities of certain structures, so long as you write -- write. Personally, I remember spending years planing to write "rightly", until I realized I was not writing at all. Now I often start with one sentence, or sometimes one word or idea, and the rest is like all the other silent, and invisible homunculi writers inside of you come out to voice their opinions on paper. Why free-write? Because it is fun.
ReplyDeleteLucky you! I missed it for no good reason!
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