There comes a time in a writer’s life, when ideas stop flowing. And the ideas that do strike are too tangled up to pen down. The creative juices simply don’t flow and all writing veers into a dead end. You are truly and completely stuck. In other words- A Writer’s Block!!!! Ouch!
This is a singularly wretched time for children’s writers who need to constantly produce work that is original, fresh and sparkling.
Getting out of the Rut
When nothing else works, it’s time to try the ultimate weapon to turn things around. It’s time to try free writing. Free writing can be a liberating exercise for a children’s writer. It’s a little like doing a bit of stretching before you begin the run. Free writing is a way to ease yourself into the actual writing that you have on hand.
The key free writing is to relax and write continuously without stopping. Just pick up your pen and write a topic or a statement on a blank sheet. Then set the clock for 10 minutes and begin writing. Write as fast as you can without stopping to think and when you can think of absolutely nothing, write that down. For example “I can think of nothing right now but I will continue writing anyway.” Do not worry about sentence construction, grammar or spelling. The point of free writing is an easy flow, so don’t worry about getting it right just yet.
After Free Writing
Once you are done with the writing, it’s time to pick through the writing to see if there’s anything useful in there. Eliminate all the stuff that is complete nonsense and look over the writing again. Sometimes reading aloud or getting a friend to have a look may help. You may find an idea that could be developed into a longer piece. Or you may see a pattern that can be worked on further.
Try and try again….
Free writing is an excellent technique to pin down an idea which is sketchy and elusive. Or to work on idea which has just made an appearance at the back of your mind. Free writing is a tool to help writers gather their ideas and keep up the smooth flow of the writing.
Like all activities, free writing may need a couple of tries before you get the hang of it. So don’t quit after one attempt. Once you have tasted success, the chances are that you will reach out for free writing when you need a kick start to get going with your writing.
