002.10 FREEWRITING
Freewriting can help us to understand what we really think and feel. It taps into our stream-of-consciousness and gives those thoughts a space to be documented. In the design process, things need to get out of our heads to be shared and changed. In the restorative process, we are often fed by time spent with someone we truly trust (ourselves).
Source: This activity is inspired by Peter Elbow, Julia Cameron, and Lynda Barry.
WRITE
FREEWRITING
Preparation
This is a solo activity.
You will need at least 20 minutes.
Grab a piece of paper and a pen you like.
Or, use your favorite text editor.
Instructions
Set a timer for 20 minutes.
Write whatever is on your mind until the timer goes off.
Anything goes. There's no wrong way to freewrite.
If you get stuck, write about being stuck.
Extend
Experiment with writing prompts. For example, starting every sentence with phrases like, "I am waiting for ______." or "I need ______."
Instead of writing for a specific amount of time, write for a particular length, like three pages, which is the recommendation for Morning Pages.
Consider
What conditions do you need to write freely?
What kind of ritual might help you get started?
What changes if you burn or recycle the pages after writing them?
What happens in the body as you write?
