Peter Elbow Freewriting Essay

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Freewriting
In Peter Elbows’ essay “Freewriting,” he emphasizes the importance of freewriting to improve the writing skills. He suggests writing “at least three times per week” 10 minutes per day in a piece of paper “whatever is on your mind”. Elbow stresses that the writing should be done without stopping, just writing every thought as they come to mind because, in the process, we tend to do “premature editing” of our “mistakes,” “bad writing,” or “unacceptable thoughts and feelings” making our writing “dead.” He explains that in the writing process, we are editing while producing, which it carries an “unnecessary burden” when we look for words and simultaneously worry if they are the correct ones. He believes that our writing skills can be bettered by regular practice of freewriting. The author finalizes that our writing has a voice, which is our “main source of power” that catch readers attention. It depends on us as writers to make it into something better. A voice that will be better heard by the reader.

First Thoughts …show more content…

Then she suggests following six rules that will “burn through” a place where we write our true ideas and feelings. Setting timed writing exercises to let your thoughts out without worrying about anything else. She says that first thoughts are often crushed by our “internal censor,” politeness, fear, and embarrassment. We should not be influenced by what people will say of our thoughts. Sometimes we omit the true of our thoughts because of the “burden of ego,” to try to be in control and logical. She states that first thoughts are full of energy because they are fresh and inspire

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