I don't necessarily free write, but I do love digging through my Notes app and finding old ideas I never did anything with and playing around with those! I'm writing with the goal of publication, but I still try to let myself write for fun when I get frustrated with querying or editing my main project. Thank you for sharing this! I always enjoy reading your newsletters :)
Also, yes to keeping my fingers on the home keyboard! That seventh grade typing class will forever be ingrained in me, I guess! lol
I’m so impressed with everyone who types the “right” way! And I think it’s so smart to switch to a just-for-fun idea whenever you get frustrated with another project. It’s always good to have something to keep the energy high and remind you of why you write!
I still type “correctly” ! It’s just faster and easier for me bc it’s ingrained into my muscle memory. I can also 10-key super fast bc my first job was at a clothing shop that didn’t have scanners so we had to type every bar code by hand.
I still type the way I learned in school! I can't imagine trying to write a whole book with hunt-and-peck method, but I'm sure some people manage!
I haven't done much freewriting, but my MG was my "for fun" book for a long time. I didn't have any expectations for it. I wasn't even sure I'd let my agent submit it anywhere. I think the fact that it was so different from what I normally wrote allowed me to turn off the inner editor and just see what happened. It was truly a joyful, freeing experience!
The thing I've been trying lately is just keeping a notebook of fun worldbuilding ideas -- big ones, small ones, some that could make a whole story, others that might just be texture. I don't have a schedule for adding to that notebook, but it's been a lot of fun to add to. And like you said about going back to read through your notebook later, I'm excited about having this collection to pull from when I need it.
That’s amazing that you type the way you were taught! I do a kind of hybrid style — not “fingers on the home keys” and not hunt-and-peck, but something in the middle. It works anyway! I can tell your MG was your fun book. That story was so joyous and delightful! It’s good to have a book like that. I think my adult book, MIST, was a fun book for me too. And I do the same with story ideas, except in a note on my phone!
I'm really glad to hear that MIST was your fun book! I think the farther we go into this career, the more important a fun book becomes. Eventually it will become work, too, but while it's just yours . . . there's nothing like the pleasure of writing something without expectations. :)
I thought everyone typed on the home keys?! I am intrigued and a little scared 😆
I do not! But it works for me! I’m amazed by those who DO use the home keys!
I don't necessarily free write, but I do love digging through my Notes app and finding old ideas I never did anything with and playing around with those! I'm writing with the goal of publication, but I still try to let myself write for fun when I get frustrated with querying or editing my main project. Thank you for sharing this! I always enjoy reading your newsletters :)
Also, yes to keeping my fingers on the home keyboard! That seventh grade typing class will forever be ingrained in me, I guess! lol
I’m so impressed with everyone who types the “right” way! And I think it’s so smart to switch to a just-for-fun idea whenever you get frustrated with another project. It’s always good to have something to keep the energy high and remind you of why you write!
My typing style is definitely hybrid
I’ll take a story prompt card, please! 🥰
You got it! For you, I drew: cashier at a dollar store; security guard; discovery of what’s in the glove box; and a warning is ignored!
I still type “correctly” ! It’s just faster and easier for me bc it’s ingrained into my muscle memory. I can also 10-key super fast bc my first job was at a clothing shop that didn’t have scanners so we had to type every bar code by hand.
I’m so impressed that you type properly! I also type fast, but my computer lab teacher would be horrified to see my method! LOL
This is such a fun idea! I'm going to try it.
It’s so freeing and enjoyable! And who knows? Maybe one of these little snippets will be expanded into a book someday!
I still type the way I learned in school! I can't imagine trying to write a whole book with hunt-and-peck method, but I'm sure some people manage!
I haven't done much freewriting, but my MG was my "for fun" book for a long time. I didn't have any expectations for it. I wasn't even sure I'd let my agent submit it anywhere. I think the fact that it was so different from what I normally wrote allowed me to turn off the inner editor and just see what happened. It was truly a joyful, freeing experience!
The thing I've been trying lately is just keeping a notebook of fun worldbuilding ideas -- big ones, small ones, some that could make a whole story, others that might just be texture. I don't have a schedule for adding to that notebook, but it's been a lot of fun to add to. And like you said about going back to read through your notebook later, I'm excited about having this collection to pull from when I need it.
That’s amazing that you type the way you were taught! I do a kind of hybrid style — not “fingers on the home keys” and not hunt-and-peck, but something in the middle. It works anyway! I can tell your MG was your fun book. That story was so joyous and delightful! It’s good to have a book like that. I think my adult book, MIST, was a fun book for me too. And I do the same with story ideas, except in a note on my phone!
I'm really glad to hear that MIST was your fun book! I think the farther we go into this career, the more important a fun book becomes. Eventually it will become work, too, but while it's just yours . . . there's nothing like the pleasure of writing something without expectations. :)