Writers use freewriting to practice writing and to collect their thoughts and ideas about a particular topic. Freewriting can be used at any point in the writing process, although most writers find that freewriting helps them most at the beginning.

Freewriting involves continuous writing, usually for a predetermined period of time (5, 10, or 15 minutes, for example). Freewriting doesn’t pay attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation or any rules at all. In fact, no corrections are ever made. The only rule is that the writer cannot stop writing until the time limit has been reached.

If a writer reaches a point she cannot think of anything to write, then she writes that she cannot think of anything. Eventually, a new thought will occur. During a freewrite, a writer can write about anything at all, even if it seems off topic.

Freewriting is best used as a part of a writer's daily writing routine, for it gets writers into the habit of generating uncensored ideas. Sometimes, a writer may find that his freewrite can be used in his paper.

Freewriting is also called automatic writing, jabbering, babbling, throat-clearing or the shotgun approach.

Directions:

For ten minutes, freewrite about your topic. Do not stop writing—even if you think you have nothing more to say. Just keep writing.

After ten minutes, stop writing. Reread what you’ve written and see what ideas you’ve had. Much of what you’ve written may not fit in your essay, and if it doesn’t, don’t worry; just toss the page into a folder.

Repeat every day. Eventually increase freewrite time to 15 or 20 minutes.