how to: brainstorm & free-write
a free writing exercise that can help you start, or improve, any kind of writing project
Today: a simple how-to post, sharing my favorite free-writing exercise. If you’re anything like my colleagues and students, it should help you either jumpstart your next writing project or breathe new life into something you’ve set aside.
I’m busily planning my October posts, because I’m a *Halloween girlie* and I can’t wait to dive into all-things-spooky for an entire month. Each Sunday, I’ll be sharing a close reading of a favorite Halloween story or film.
Okay. That’s all for the preamble.
When I was a college writing teacher, most of the biggest questions and struggles my students asked for help with had to do with getting started: from moving through writer’s block to facing down their intimidation by the blank page, to learning how to tell a great idea from a worthwhile tangent….my students loved any activity that could help them focus their energy and walk away feeling productive.
As their writing teacher, I researched lots of methods and also came up with a few exercises to help them out. I’m sharing my favorite here today.
Try this with your next writing project or essay assignment!
A task and a timer.
Breaking down a complex writing task into smaller parts: a classic move.
One of my favorite ways to break it down is using individual, timed writing sessions that casually build on each other, as you add more time and more tasks to the list. Start with the first task in the bulleted list below, then work your way through the rest over a few hours, days, or even weeks. Set the pace that works for you and your project — and devote your energy in timed doses.
Step 1: Pick a singular task.
This can be the hardest part, because for many of us, writer’s block isn’t about having nothing to say—it’s about having too much to say, and no idea what order to say it all in.
A singular task is a building block: think of it as a single Lego block in a larger build. Your job is simply to define—to get to know, then write about—that block all on its own, before you go plug it into a bigger design.
It’s often the “what,” instead of the “why” or the “how.”
A singular task may be:
What is my core theme?
What is the basic list of keywords or ideas that relate to my main idea?
What do I need to learn to write about this topic?
What do I need to share with my audience about this topic?
What is my goal in writing about this?
What do I hope to make happen with my writing?
What do I care about most?
What do I care about least?
Identify your “what,” and then get your timer ready.
Step 2: Set a timer.
Use the Pomodoro technique for a super structured writing session, or simply set a timer on your phone for your desired time. Try using an actual egg timer, or this handy web app, to avoid touching your phone during dedicated writing time.
Decide on a realistic time limit for yourself, based on the task you’ve selected. Do not — I repeat, DO NOT — set a 75-minute timer and expect to stay focused or energized that entire time.
Start small — even 7 minutes can make a huge difference to how you’re mapping and framing your ideas.
Step 3: Write!
Writing by hand is often the most freeing and energizing experience — and the most fruitful. I will always recommend it over typing. But if you decide to start on a computer, I highly recommend shutting off all other apps and distractions, and maybe even switching off your WiFi.
The idea in a timed write, like this, is to give all your energy to the act of getting ideas from your brain onto paper. Nothing else, for these 20 or 7 minutes, matters.
You can create your own prompts, based on your project’s needs. Or you can use some of the basic prompts I’ve included below.
Try each one of these free writes, in this order, for maximum writing inspiration:
Define my core argument - 20 minutes
What am I actually trying to say? What’s the point? Spend this time stating, restating, questioning, and reframing your core argument. Dig into every word of your core point — is it all as accurate, true, and focused as possible?
State my main idea 10 different ways - 20 minutes
What are all the different ways I could position my main idea? What are different keywords or angles to come at it? What would someone who hates my idea say about this? What would someone who ardently agrees with me say? Work quickly! You only have about 2 minutes, per rephrasing!
List all my readers/audience members - 8 minutes
Brain dump! Who am I writing to? What are they like? What do they need? Do I like them? What can I assume they know? What can I assume they don’t know? What do they believe in? What do they listen to? Who do they trust? Who do they distrust?
Identify my ending - 30 minutes
For the first 15 minutes, map your intentions: What’s the conclusion I’m trying to come to? What do I need to do to get there? What steps do I need to take?
For the second 15 minutes, write a rough draft of your conclusive paragraph and start with this sentence: “In this essay, I have attempted to…”
Dig into my evidence - 15 minute sprints, for up to 60 minutes total.
What’s my favorite piece of evidence for the point(s) I’m making? How do I want to closely read this evidence? What are my main observations about it? How does it connect to my main idea?
Set a one-hour timer with 15-minute breaks or alarms. At each interval, check your close-reading for its closeness to the text itself. Are you veering into tangent-land? Are you writing about other parts of the story that aren’t in your chosen excerpt? Take a breath, realign to the passage you’ve selected, and start fresh.
Step 4: Take a break!
When your timer goes off, stop writing and take a moment to reassess.
Ask yourself: Was that time rejuvenating and inspiring, or miserable and soul-crushing? (Or maybe, as most writing goes, it was somewhere in the middle.)
If it was rejuvenating: Look at where you ended your writing time and find a new prompt there. What is the next question or idea you can explore? Identify it now, then decide whether you’ll do your next free write immediately (as in, right now, while you feel great) or in your next writing session (tomorrow or next week). Use the good feelings to set up success for your next session.
If it was miserable: Investigate. What made it hard? Where did you get stuck? Perhaps the problem was the prompt — was it a question you simply weren’t ready, or equipped, to answer today? Spend a few minutes digging into the friction and see what you find. If you strike gold, turn it into a prompt.
For example: “That was miserable. I just spent 20 minutes realizing that I don’t have anything to say.” Put pressure on this realization. Is it that you don’t have “anything to say,” or that you’re simply not clear on your own point-of-view on the issue at hand?
Try changing your prompt, and see if it prompts forward-motion. “How do I feel about [my topic]?” “How does [my topic] make me feel?”
Once you’ve identified points of forward-motion and of friction, you’ll be well positioned for your next writing session, and ready to make progress in your writing project overall.
Thank you for this exercise Haley ! I will try it ASAP !
This might be the little nudge I needed to sit down and write some stuff I want to share but never feel like I quite *got it*. Good reminder that you can only *get it* if you actually start it at some point!