How to use free writing technique in an essay

What is free writing? How to use it while writing an essay?

Free writing is one of the prewriting techniques that is used to brainstorm ideas for writing. Often it is found that we may run out of ideas and cannot write further. During such times, this technique can be used.

It is basically a technique which acts like a raw material for writing an essay. Simply put, it uses continuous writing where new ideas are formed and prompted to write the best essay. It is easy to begin with this technique. The outcome of this technique brings out raw sentences and paragraphs which can be used for drafting an essay.

Benefits of free writing:

1.Generates new ideas- Free writing is useful to generate new ideas and prompts which can be used while there are fewer topics to write on.

2.Increases creativity- This technique if used to create ideas for writing an essay, it increases creativity and puts the brain onto work.

3.Gives an insight to different things- “Outside the box thinking” as people call it increases with the free writing technique. It helps in shaping up ideas which are different from the monotonous ones.

Simple ways to use free writing technique

After discussing the meaning and benefits of free writing, here are few simple ways to use it while writing an essay.

1.Choose a prompt: To start off writing, a prompt must be chosen, or any word, phrase, a sentence which can induce your mind to think about it.

Choosing a prompt lets you to deep digger about it which will help in further process of writing about a topic.

2.Set a timer for starting the free writing process: The next step towards writing up is to set time for the free writing process. Usually a ten minutes timer is set.

The point behind setting time is to schedule your brain to work towards the prompt that is created.

3.Write down whatever comes to your mind regarding that topic: After the timer is set, you must start writing about the prompt, whatever that comes to your mind. Regardless of the grammar, punctuation style and other errors, the sentences must be written.

If a timer is set for ten minutes, those ten minutes must be utilized to write on the prompt as quickly as possible.

4.The best way to write down the ideas is to write them quickly: One of the best technique to write down the idea is to write them as quickly as possible. This will help in gathering ideas for writing an essay.

5.Rephrasing to a draft: Once the prompt is written , it must be then rephrased and used to form a draft.

Cluster of sentences and phrases together must be utilized to form paragraphs or content for writing an essay.

Tips to follow while using free writing

1.Relax your mind. Free writing technique should not be used while the brain is disturbed. Allowing the mind to relax will help in bringing out new ideas.

2.There should not be any rules or regulations to abide by, do not worry about grammar, punctuation marks. This technique aims at producing ideas for an essay hence grammar and punctuation need not matter.

3.You must keep writing and not stop until the fixed time. Start with lesser time limit; with practice it should be increased.  

4.Even if the sentences that are being written gets off the topic, they must be written without stopping. They can be discarded once the points are taken for finalization.

5.Choose a place which is quiet and peaceful. The environment plays a major role while this technique is being used.