Free Thinker Turned Author

Blogging daily. Is it an exercise in writing or in thinking?

When I sit down to write about something, I do it because I have something to write about. If I sit down to write with no muse or inspiration or plea to make, I end up on facebook.

My creative writing teacher used to have us journal everyday. She told us to force ourselves to write. That writing something would lead to sparking an idea or freeing your mind of things that were cluttering it. It was a harsh exercise. Sometimes I would sit at my desk and pray that I was tired enough to fall asleep with my eyes open and my pencil moving. Other days, I would start writing immediately and only cease when my story was finished, seven periods later.

I use writing to analyze my thoughts and emotions as so many authors have done. For me, writing a meaningful play or poem or blog entry has a lot to do with the starting point and where I want it to end, I find out along the way. My best work comes when I am mid-project and entirely consumed with the dialogue and thoughts of my characters.

When I am done with the piece, I look back and find out that it has exposed my deep secrets, suppressed emotions and latent feelings. It’s as if writing is an exercise that makes you think (or in my case, flow feelings past conscious reasoning).

My name is Allie and I support forced free writing, apparently.