Back to basics with pen and paper - The Writer Magazine

Back to basics with pen and paper - The Writer Magazine

Why I freewrite...

Journaling is a powerful tool. Peter Elbow, (he's a professor back East, and considered an expert in the academia field of writing) calls it "freewriting."

I used it as a high school teacher with my troubled Juniors and Seniors. I learned how it quiets the brain .... yes even ADHD students can do this.... But the trick is to keep putting words on the paper. It reminded me of a child crying himself to sleep, finally after fussing he quiets down. The brain fights you with thinking of the position of your chair and then how the pen sits in your hand, and then there is the light, and what am I suppose to say and how can I say it. I don't have anything to say.

Slowly your thoughts starts to spiral down to the page. Usually by the middle or start of the second page your fingers are moving and you are thinking about things, plans, the art... It's really not the size of the page....or the pen....it's the time to bring your thoughts to quiet down and let the creative thoughts come out....

It works great on troubled kids..... and it works great on troubled writers too...

Finally I got it posted

It took close to a month to get his visual posted to my blog. It shows how the word "This" or "it" can be confusing.

In the 1st sample, "It took time" is confusing. What is "it"? The faculty agreement or the requirements?

In the 2nd sample, What does "this" refer to? The little the British knew or the lack of experience.

Faulty agreement