Thread: Questions on Writing Freely and letting thoughts flow.

I just wrote something as an escapade, an exercise in writing. I tend to be too structured and constantly fixing as I write almost as I complete it. Then I lose focus on what I wanted to say.

I wrote freely, just let my thoughts flow. To my surprise some of what I came up with was not too bad. My question are:

is writing freely something a writer does from time to time?
is this how a story gets is initial start?
What are different ways you go about letting thoughts flow?
what inspires you? (just thought of that question, seems appropriate here)

I'll thank you in advance for your replies. I do have an idea for a story to write, but I have not been able to get it started and wonder what is best to begin first.

True 'free writing' has no subject. Just start putting words on paper (figuratively speaking), jotting down whatever random thoughts you have. I've never found it especially useful, but many people say it's a good warm-up tool.

Starting with definite thoughts on a specific subject is the way I begin every morning.

What inspires me varies. Friday it was an email offering a contract to write a series of newspaper articles and a brochure explaining the poverty alleviation projects of an agency. More often it's something I see in the field, or learn about in conversations with farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

Originally Posted by StrikingEagle

... I do have an idea for a story to write, but I have not been able to get it started and wonder what is best to begin first.

Try writing the incident or scene that inspired the story.

The idea started somewhere, something clicked, and you thought. 'there's a story there'.



You don't have to start writing with; 'Once upon a time...' you can begin writing at any point in the story.

It might help to prime the engine.

OK, I will begin anywhere with free writing around the story idea. At least this way I will get something concrete on paper.
Better than only an idea still floating around. From there...structure, etc.

Thanks.

is writing freely something a writer does from time to time?
Depends on the writer. When I was journaling more I would do a lot of free writing. On occasion I feel like writing but can't think of a specific subject so I just start writing. It usually ends up being descriptive, like most recently about the change in the quality of light when there is a wildfire near by.

is this how a story gets is initial start?
And again, depend on the writer. I doubt that any two writers start writing the same way. I'm sure that is how some stories get their start.

What are different ways you go about letting thoughts flow? This question reminds me of school when you had to do those web exercises. Start with a specific word then draw off little lines to connecting thoughts, and more lines to thoughts connecting to the previous ones, and so on. I suppose it's not a bad exercise if you don't have a specific idea in mind.

what inspires you? Everything. Conversations with friends, strangers, at work. Advertisements. Nature. My children. Music. Dreams. I could tell you for most stories what the inspiration was but there is no consistent source. It comes from everything.

My grandma used to tell me I had artist eyes because I looked at everything critically. I notice if a one eyebrow was higher than another on a stranger on the bus. Or the way that raw silk smells like raw spinach and butter. My husband hates shopping with me; I touch, smell and just look at everything.

So yeah, I guess that's a really long explanation about what inspires me.