Stream of consciousness writing is the doodling of writing which may include doodling along the margins, and even sketches reaching behind the words. SCW is journaling without stopping. Sometimes during intense SCW my words become connected, I don’t even lift the pen or pencil. A bit harder to accomplish on the keyboard. Although the clicking of the keyboard sounds resolute, the action of writing on the page gives writing a texture that inhabits the consciousness and allows that stream to flow.
Sometimes I start my journaling with the first sentence that comes to my mind. For instance:
my feet are cold right now maybe I should get my slippers or a warmer pair of socks or maybe I should just put up with the cold for a bit longer then I can put on my shoes and get out of here to make lunch why does writing feel too much like a laborious project rather than a labor of love that I want to accomplish. Now, where is that chart oh I still haven’t constructed the chart for the family tree of my second mermaid book.
I’ve managed to write my way around my cold feet until I realized a project that will help me continue with the completion of the second mermaid book. Although I did finish with a nearly proper sentence, I’ve moved from stream to functionality. Now I’m headed off to find the graph paper to do that physically as opposed to constructing it by using built-in graphics in the Word program. Sometimes I need a more organic approach to mapping out a book’s background material.
Amazingly the graph paper was right where I thought it should be. That’s progress! But I still haven’t herded the cats that belong to this treatise on stream of consciousness writing. If I want it in my blog then I need to get my act together.
SCW also allows you to get your writing tics out of the way. One of the first things a professor noticed when I started writing essays relating to required reading was to point out how often I used ‘a bit’. Guilty, as charged.
Just like physical mannerisms, we all have our writing habits and patterns – some reveal our style, some are charming, and others are downright annoying. SCW clears the metaphorical cobwebs out of the way so the writer can search for new insight.
Not everyone believes in writer’s block, but if you have it, SCW is a good start for reviving your writing energy as well as showing you a path out of the wordy woods you may be lost in.
Having trouble with a technical or academic assignment? As you research, connect new ideas, concepts, and vocabulary as well as previous knowledge through SCW. Use SCW before developing a thesis statement, constructing the dreaded outline, or completing the summation. You may find your kernels of opinion and proof within your stream.
One more recommendation for SCW: problem solving in life. Maybe you’re considering quitting or possibly changing jobs or a career, or making a move to another part of the country, or the world. Stream of consciousness writing foregoes the Pros and Cons columns that may be too rigid for an exploratory decision. SCW allows you to travel down an unfamiliar path with no judgement or goals.
Go ahead, jump into stream of consciousness writing just to see where it will take you. Let the free current of your words reveal insights which may lead to decisions rising to the surface for your benefit.
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