..:: Written .:. Off ::..

The thing that I like most about the guitar is that I can pick it up at anytime and just play. It’s instant creative gratification. Sometimes I strum some chords, other times, I will play a quick (sometimes out-of-tune) guitar solo. Mostly, I just play whatever comes to mind. I enjoy playing so much, that I’ve often wished that I could translate the experience of just picking up a guitar and playing, to writing.

I first wished that I could do this a few months ago, when my drive to write had completely dried up. In the last few weeks, I’ve had a new and sustained drive to write. I attribute this to my positive thinking and to my free writing.

Free writing is as close to free-form guitar playing as I can get. It’s a simple process, I sit down in the morning at around the same time every day, and write anything. These “anythings” have eventually turned into poems, flash fiction stories, and pieces of short stories. If I can think of absolutely nothing, I write word vertically and then write a sentence for each letter in that word (this is called something but the name escapes me).

Free writing forces me out of the comfort of my normal habits of writing. When I free write, I try all sorts of experimentation. Sometimes I write in first person, sometimes third. Sometimes I try to write stories that are 3-4 sentences long.

Free writing is a great way to get your juices flowing and get you into a writing routine. Keep it fun and casual. Keep it fluid and be adventurous! It’s a great way to bring the enjoyment back into your writing, which is something that I thought was lost from mine.