Does Freewriting Really Work?

 

The short answer is, yes, freewriting absolutely works. 

As someone who loves writing and being able to put mental images into words, it can be more than annoying when you try to think of new ideas and you are met with mental T.V. static. That mental static is the killer of all motivation for me for trying to put words on paper.

 Whenever I found myself lacking creativity I often times just walked away from my computer and assumed it was a classic case of writers blocks. I struggled with this for years until recently, when asked to start freewriting for this class. 

The first time I ever did a freewriting exercise was in middle school. I never saw it as a serious exercise because of that, instead more of a silly assignment for kids. 

After a few weeks of freewriting for class, I've noticed that the mental T.V. static I usually struggle with has transformed itself to creative shows that seem to flow from my fingers. Even without an idea in mind, I just start writing and let my inner voice do all the thinking for me. I find myself thinking less and simple writing more with no regards to errors in the moment. It's changed the way I approach my papers and how I look for creativity when writing them. I feel more confident writing because I feel like I can think more clearly. 

So, for the long answer, yes, freewriting absolutely works.