Fundamental Freestyling (aka freewriting)

You’re thinking out loud. But on paper.

It’s radical truth-telling.

Bold and unapologetic.

Fundamental, meaning necessary.

To yourself and to whomever reads it—should you choose to share it.

It flows…

For any length of time.

Sometimes warping into poetry, maybe even a story.

Or an enclosed journal entry that you will never touch again.

It’s free…

Flowing without conscious thought or pause.

You’re just writing.

Set your timer for however many minutes and just write.

It’s called Fundamental Freestyling.

It’s also known as freewriting which is a form of expressing what your subconscious mind has to say by way of brain dumping. I like to go for at least five minutes at a time because for the first few minutes, if you’re anything like me, won’t be about too much. If you really want to lean into it, then go for 15 minutes. It may be repetitive, shallow, or full of pout. That’s okay though. Keep writing. Something meaningful may very well emerge. Or maybe it won’t.

Expectation has no room in freewriting. That’s the beautiful part about it. Technically, you aren’t in control. Your pen should be moving at the rate of your thoughts. Whatever comes to mind goes on paper. You could do this with a prompt, for a little structure, but I encourage you to try it without one. Just go. See what becomes of it.

Freewriting is a great tool of helping you cultivate your writing voice, as well as building courage and confidence in what write. Reason being, you:

• Learn to write in an uncensored fashion. In turn, you release the fear—even if only a little—of what others think. This courage is non-negotiable in good writing.
• Access radical truth-telling by getting out of your own way. You don’t have time to second guess or question whether or not to tell this part or the whole thing. You rarely have time to cringe. No judgment. Just flow. How beautiful?
• Learn about yourself.
• Are not presenting. You’re present. You’re not saying what sounds good or writing in a way that looks good. You’re jotting what comes to mind at the rate that it comes to mind, leaving no time for prettification.