Blogs
Don't know what to write? Try FREEWRITING!
Hot 5 |
via.Freewriting
Many writing instructors use a freewriting exercise at the beginning of each class. It's a way of getting the brain in gear, and it's an exercise you can do on your own, safe to try in your own home. (We provide an interactive page for this exercise, see below.) Write down a topic at the top of that empty page. It can be either a one-word topic — like "Dentists," for example — or a brief statement of the topic you've chosen or been given to write about. Set the clock for five to ten minutes and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and go at it. Write as fast as you can; the faster the better. You are not allowed to stop writing! If you can't think of anything to say, write down that you can't think of anything to say, something like: "I'm stuck but I'll think of something soon." Don't stop. Don't worry about transitions or connecting the ideas or paragraphing or subject-verb agreement or even commas. And form absolutely no judgment about what you write. Your Censor is on vacation. Your writing may take you in some really weird directions, but don't stop and never think to yourself, "Oh, this is dumb!" If you get off the subject, that's all right. Your divagation may end up somewhere wonderful. Just keep writing. Do not criticize yourself and do not cut or scratch out or revise in any way. Many instructors suggest that at the end of the timed period, you should write one sentence IN ALL CAPS that takes you back to where you started — something to do with dentists.
It's probably a good idea to read your freewriting out loud when you're done with it. Often the ear will pick up some pattern or neat idea that you hadn't noticed even as you wrote it. Read your freewriting to a friend or have your friend read it out to you. Your friend might think you're insane, but that's all right. Then it's time to spend just a couple of minutes going through the freewriting with an aim toward casual rewriting. The word-processor is a big advantage here. Delete the "I can't think of anything to say" lines and the pure nonsense. Are any ideas or patterns emerging?
Don't give up on freewriting after one exercise. Many students think that it's boring or stupid at first and come to love it after a week or so of exercises. Freewriting is like any other kind of mental activity: you will get better at it. The first couple of times you try it, perhaps nothing will come of it. After a few efforts, though, the exercise will become liberating. Just as you would never start to play tennis or jog without stretching a bit first, you will never try to write again without doing a bit of freewriting first. Sometimes, even in the middle of an essay, when stuck for the next idea, you can do a bit of freewriting to get you going again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
很多写作老师在上课之前会让学生们做自由写作。这是一种使大脑进入状态的方法，而且你也可以尝试自己在家练习。在一张白纸的顶端写下一个话题。它可以是一个词，比方说“牙医”，或者是一句简短的话。设置一个五到十分钟的闹钟，然后拿起笔和纸或者打开电脑开始写。写得尽可能快一点，越快越好。一定不要停！如果你不知道该写什么，就写你不知道该写什么，比方说“我卡住了，但我很快就会写出来的。”不要停，不要担心语言是否连贯，主谓是否一致，标点是否正确。你也不要评判自己写得怎么样。让你心里的审查官去放假吧。你的写作可能会把你带到一些很奇怪的方向去，但是不要停，也不要自己觉得“哦，这太傻了！”如果你跑题了，没关系。这次思绪的流浪也许会有一个美妙的结尾，只要继续写就好了。不要批判自己，不要以任何方式删改。很多老师都建议学生在时间的最后以大写的形式写一句话来带你回到开头——与牙医有关的一句话。
大声朗读你完成的自由写作稿是个很好的主意。你的耳朵经常可以捕捉到一些你在写的时候都没有注意到的好点子。给你的朋友读一读，或者让你的朋友朗读给你听。他们也许会认为你疯了，但这没关系。接下来，你就要花点时间来通览你的自由写作稿，并且进行一些随意的修改。在这里文字处理器就非常有用。删掉那些“我不知道写什么”这类的纯废话。是不是有些想法冒出来了？
一次自由写作练习之后不要放弃。很多学生一开始觉得这件事很蠢很无聊，但坚持一周后就爱上了。自由写作就像任何一种思维锻炼一样：你会变得越来越好。刚开始的几次尝试，也许不会出现什么有价值的东西。但经过几次努力后，这个练习就会成为一种释放。就像你在打球或者慢跑之前都要做一些拉伸运动一样，如果你不做一些自由写作练习，也开始不了真正的写作。有时候，即使是在写作中间遇到瓶颈，你也可以做一次自由写作来找到灵感。
点击这里，来进行一次自由写作练习吧。
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In fact I have tried a couple of times of freewriting in the past, it's really an interesting and helpful method of writing when you have no idea about the subject you are asked to write.
Apparently writing is the best way of showing people's real English ability, it's essential that we kept on practicing on it. However, everyone can get stuck sometimes. So when you feel out of innovation on writing, try some freewriting, maybe your hands know you better than your head. After freewriting practice,you will find a more interesting self through all the brilliant ideas on your work.
Let's try and find out more useful ways of improving writing ability together, and share the improvements with everyone on DIO :)
View AllAuthor's latest blogs
Post comment Comment (10 replies)
- Reply xingyue
- How interesting. Usually, I give up writing when get stuck or be our of innovation. I will have a try, and it must be an amusing way.
- Reply kyle2012
- haha,perhaps it can arouse our interesting.i always confront this situation so that i give up. it's believed that freewriting can help enormously and i hope it is helpful for me as well.
- Reply Nikkii
xingyue: How interesting. Usually, I give up writing when get stuck or be our of innovation. I will have a try, and it must be an amusing way.
good luck with that~~
- Reply Nikkii
- have a try this will be helpful
kyle2012: haha,perhaps it can arouse our interesting.i always confront this situation so that i give up. it's believed that freewriting can help enormously and ...
- Reply COLMAN
- freewriting is a vital suggestion to improve your writing level.
i like writing very much, and i think it will be better after you read many famous books .
- Reply Nikkii
- writing makes people know how to write, and reading helps people to know what to write. IS that right
COLMAN: freewriting is a vital suggestion to improve your writing level.
i like writing very much, and i think it will be better after you read many famous ...
- Reply Nikkii
- look forward to your words Sandy! How's it going with your study plan?
Sandy003: It's a good idea, I'll make a try to see what I will write.
- Reply COLMAN
- perfectly right
Nikkii: writing makes people know how to write, and reading helps people to know what to write. IS that right
- Reply Lisa-ideal
- I want to be a writter in the future. I believe that this method you offered can help me a lot. I will never give up my dream. So, thank you.
