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Free Write #FridayReflections

August 12, 2016 By Suzy Que 71 Comments

What is a free write? It is essentially writing without conscious thought.

Most free writes go like this:

You write down whatever comes into your mind for 15 straight minutes either as a word purge (no topic at all) or on a prompt.

There is no right or wrong way of doing a free write, but here are some tips with the way I do it:

I find a place where I am comfortable writing

To completely drown out any unwanted sounds, I put on some soothing instrumental music

A timer is very helpful so I set my timer for about 17 minutes

The best time to do a free write is when you are relaxed so I allow myself a little relaxation time of about 2 minutes – a nice short song length

Then I start writing – anything that comes into my mind, remembering that it does not need to make sense

When the timer goes off, I will either round off the sentence or if the thoughts are flowing I will keep going for a line or two more. Remember there is no absolute 15 minute rule, but as a start 15 minutes is a good length and initially it will feel like a pretty long time.

Once I’ve finished. I go back and tidy up the grammar, punctuation and paragraphs but other than that, keep the writing untouched.

I remind myself it’s not a competition. The idea is not to feel ashamed of what I write but to have some fun and maybe a chuckle or two.

Once you get the hang of a free write, it is quite easy to do and it always amazes me how it turns out.

free write

So for today, let’s do a free write either as a word purge (just letting your thoughts ramble) or pick a prompt for yourself – a word, phrase, quote, song, book, anything you want to write on (and naturally the prompts below) and let your fingers fly for 15 minutes. You can add any videos, pictures etc to your post once you have finished so that’s not counted in the 15 minutes.

Some Don’ts

Don’t sanitize your work – post as you wrote it (you can tidy up the grammar, punctuation and paragraphs)

Don’t worry about the length of your post.

Don’t plan or procrastinate on anything, just go for it and let your fingers do the writing.

Don’t worry about how it will turn out – have faith that whatever you write will be great – you’ll be surprised what turns up. Trust me on that.

And some Dos

Do try out free writes as often as you can. You can tag me (Suzy)  and Write Tribe on Twitter if you want us to take a look at them.

Do have fun.

PS: We have repurposed this post because it is so good. To learn how to repurpose your old posts here this.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Free Write today with @suzyq1810 and @writetribe #FridayReflections” quote=”Free Write today with @suzyq1810 and @writetribe #FridayReflections”]
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#FridayReflections

If you are new to Friday Reflections, here’s what it’s about. It’s the end of the week, you’re probably exhausted with work, and all you want to do is sit back, put your feet up, sip on some fancy cocktail or wine, and write away. Sanch and Write Tribe give you writing prompts and all you have to do is choose any one of those prompts to blog about and link up between Friday and Monday. After you link up, be sure to spread the love by visiting other bloggers who have linked up too.

Feel free to add our Friday Reflections badge to your post or sidebar! Follow us on Twitter @FridayReflect and join our Facebook Group. Share your post on social media with the hashtag #FridayReflections.

 ‘Write Tribe

Our featured writers for last week is Eloquent Mind who shared the sights, sounds and memories outside her window. 

Prompts for this week

1. Write a poem that is about a brick wall – whether literally or figuratively.

2. Write about a point in life where things turned for the better or worse.

3. A well-loved toy from my childhood.

4. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, This is my Story. Use this is a post of your own

5. Picture Prompt (copyright Living my Imperfect Life)

 

fridayreflections1208

 

An InLinkz Link-up



 

Filed Under: Writing Exercises Tagged With: free write, Writing Prompt

About Suzy Que

I dream because dreams make life worth living. I write to share the insights of my soul. I rhyme because poetry brings me great joy. I photograph to capture a moment in time to remember forever.
Anthropology and ancient civilisations fascinate me. I believe that nature and the Universe “speak” to us and that we are all connected. And when you stumble upon my blogs or me upon yours, I believe that is fated for there are no chance encounters.
Go with the flow, be Zen and let it go is my philosophy for daily living.
I blog at Someday Somewhere, Photos are Fun and Reflections of my soul - my poems. My Facebook page is called Suzy's Ilation
Connect with me on Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Payal Agarwal says

    August 14, 2016 at 4:17 pm

    Wonderful post. Free write is really helpful. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Shweta Ravi says

    August 12, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    Hi – can i link my Free Write post to Friday Reflections? I wasn’t too sure as you guys had separate prompts for Friday reflections…

    Reply
    • corinnerodrigues says

      August 13, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      Hi Shweta – Yes, the #FridayReflections posts are all prompt based. Please feel free to add your post to the #WritingWednesdays post which is meant for posts from the week.
      http://writetribe.com/memoir-writing/

      Reply
      • Shweta Ravi says

        August 16, 2016 at 10:11 am

        Thanks! Per your instructions on the post I tagged you on the free attempt posts on twitter 🙂

        Reply
  3. bEllybytes says

    August 12, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    Wow ! This post did generate a ton of comments . I’ve never tried a free write. Perhaps I’ll do it this Monday and tag you guys for a feed back. Thanks for these great tips .

    Reply
    • corinnerodrigues says

      August 13, 2016 at 4:53 pm

      Yes, it is a very popular post, Sunita. Look forward to reading your post.

      Reply
  4. Suzy says

    August 12, 2016 at 12:00 pm

    Thanks for featuring my post again.

    Reply
    • corinnerodrigues says

      August 13, 2016 at 4:52 pm

      An absolute pleasure, Suzy!

      Reply
  5. Marika says

    October 1, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    Yep, automatic writing, it’s great actually, I’ve tried it a while ago and it’s fun.

    Reply
  6. vishalbheeroo says

    September 23, 2013 at 4:46 am

    The prompt was so much fun to write Suzy. Sulekha commented on my blog and I wanted to reach out to her, unfortunately, her blog is not opening. Can you please do something about it, Sulekha? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 23, 2013 at 11:09 am

      Thanks Vishal. Glad you enjoyed my prompt.

      Reply
  7. Jeyannathann Karunanithi says

    September 22, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    Hoping to surprise myself with your ‘Free Writing’ idea .

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 23, 2013 at 11:10 am

      Thanks Jeyannathann. Look forward to your post.

      Reply
  8. Jeyannathann Karunanithi says

    September 22, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    Such an amazing idea for bloggers to keep writing and over come the much dreaded writer’s block.

    Looking forward to meet fellow bloggers here. Much to learn and the much to cover on this long winding road.

    Reply
  9. Aditi says

    September 20, 2013 at 9:03 am

    Fabulous tutorial Suzy. Free writing can sometime surprise your own mind!! Weekend will give some time to just let go and let it flow. Looking forward! 🙂

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 21, 2013 at 10:26 am

      Thanks Aditi – Yes free writes produce amazing posts. At least for me my best writings are free writes. Look forward to yours.

      Reply
  10. Rekha says

    September 19, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    Wow! That’s a nice idea. Will try it out over the weekend.

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 21, 2013 at 10:25 am

      I look forward to your post Rekha.

      Reply
  11. Sheela says

    September 19, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    Thanks Suzy for introducing such a wonderful idea…It was relaxing…really. Hope to have many more.

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 21, 2013 at 10:24 am

      Hi Sheela, so glad you enjoyed the experience and a free write is relaxing as there is really no pressure to make it sensible!

      Reply
  12. Sumi says

    September 19, 2013 at 8:07 pm

    I came across this website when browsing through blogs.. and just loved it! 🙂
    I have written my first “Free write” and loved the experience..
    Hoping to write more..

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 21, 2013 at 10:23 am

      Hi Sumi, glad you stumbled upon this website and so glad you loved the free write experience. Will be visiting your blog shortly.

      Reply
    • preethi says

      September 25, 2013 at 9:02 am

      hi suzy…wow!! great concept. tried it for the first time. submitting my post too 🙂 never thought i could do it…thank you 🙂

      Reply
  13. Talya Tate Boerner says

    September 19, 2013 at 7:49 am

    I free write every morning. I start by writing the date, where I am, the time and the number of days I’ve written consecutively. Today was number 290 for me. If I miss a day, I have to start over with Day 1. Freewriting jump starts me each morning. Sometimes it leads to a blog or short story. Sometimes not.

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 19, 2013 at 1:16 pm

      Oh wow Talya that’s quite a commitment Free writing is fun.

      Reply
  14. confusedhumanity says

    September 19, 2013 at 7:37 am

    I just tried mine…it was nit actually a free spree of thoughts but a running commentary of what my daughter was doing…unfortunately I nowadays don’t have the luxury of shutting of unwanted noise and to write undisturbed :)…yeah I have added an incident or two from my memory lane…but i loved the prompt..may be I will try doing a serious from the heart rant later this week….may be when my little one is sleeping

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 19, 2013 at 1:14 pm

      So glad you liked the prompt Confusedhumanity. Loved your very sweet post.

      Reply
  15. Richa Singh says

    September 18, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    I embark on free write almost every two weeks and send the writings to some friend whom I know will make some sense of it. Its one of my favourite writing activity! Excited!!

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 19, 2013 at 12:58 pm

      Glad you enjoy it too Richa. Look forward to reading your post.

      Reply
  16. Rainbow Hues says

    September 18, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Excellent Suzy!! Surprisingly, I do most of my posts as a free write….I did’nt even know that’s what they are called 🙂

    Thanks for the tutorial!

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm

      Thanks Kajal. Good to hear you also do free writes. So much easier than planned writing.

      Reply
  17. Bhavya says

    September 18, 2013 at 2:30 pm

    You had me right the moment I read the post. What a novel idea (at least for me, as this is the first time I’m doing a free write, after knowing that this form of writing is called free write 😛 ) Thanks for this great write up Suzy. As for my post, I have not read it after I wrote, submitting it raw, just like most of my other posts 🙂

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 3:39 pm

      Glad you enjoyed the prompt Bhavya. Loved your post and thank you for sharing your day and for taking part. Hope it was therapeutic for you.

      Reply
  18. Bhagyashree says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:45 pm

    Done!! 🙂 Had fun Suzy. Do not know whether what I wrote makes sense. But the point is I enjoyed.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 3:31 pm

      Glad you had fun Bhagyashree = that is really the point of the free write and wow what an awesome write you did.

      Reply
  19. Suzy says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    It is fun Shilpa. I’m looking forward to reading all the posts. We’ll be amazed at what turns up.

    Reply
  20. Say Cheese says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    I free right a lot. As a matter of fact, I free write everyday. I have made a habit to free write at least one page a day.(I believe that ‘one page a day, goes a long way’) A journal is specially bought for that purpose. Today morning I wrote my 125 page and it really really helps in honing your writing skills. I mean, sometimes I’ve found ideas to blog from my free writing stuff. My submission for ‘Truly Alive’ was a free write too. 🙂

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 3:59 pm

      I love free writes too. It’s a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Thanks for joining in. Loved your post.

      Reply
  21. Shilpa Garg says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    This sounds so much fun! Thanks for sharing about Free Write, Suzy.
    Am looking forward to write freely… 🙂

    Reply
  22. sulekha says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:03 pm

    Look forward to sharing my uncensored post 🙂

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      I look forward too Sulekha – the uncensored version – that made me chuckle.

      Reply
  23. Shiva says

    September 18, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    Wow… This is Niiceeee..>Free flow of thoughts.. I am already excited..Thank you Suzy

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 1:23 pm

      Thanks Shiva. I can feel your excitement. Have fun with this one.

      Reply
  24. kalpana solsi says

    September 18, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Suzy , loved the free writing idea and the wonderful tips of do’s and do not’s.

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 1:22 pm

      Glad you liked it Kalpana. Look forward to reading your post.

      Reply
  25. Vidya Sury says

    September 18, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    Very nice. My big takeaway tip here is “Don’t sanitize your writing”. 🙂 Looking forward to participating, Suzy!

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      September 18, 2013 at 1:20 pm

      Thanks Vidya. I’m looking forward too, to read all the posts. Yep, the trick is not to sanitise. It’s great fun sometimes a nice giggle too.

      Reply

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