This is not a freewrite.
This is a piece of writing that was inspired by today’s #freewrite prompt - If You Have Any Thoughts, Please Let Me Know.
I say inspired by at the end of all my #freewrite posts because none of them are true freewrites. A freewrite would be pure stream of consciousness writing, posted as written.
I pause, I delete, and I edit after I finish. Not a lot, but enough.
Even though I don’t follow all of the rules, I still believe in the power of the #freewrite. More than that, I believe it’s inherently part of what makes Steemit great.
“The medium is the message.”
-Marshall McLuhan
The above quote touches on something very important - one of the essential components of any piece of content is the medium through which it’s expressed. In other words, part of what makes the #freewrite so successful on Steemit is the fact that it grew organically from Steemit in ways that perfectly synergize with the platform.
It’s Short
A lot of people are reading this on their phones right now, browsing as they go about their day.
A piece that takes five minutes to write will take two minutes to read. There is an inherent value in content that can be enjoyed without commitment. In the time it takes to read a #freewrite, water can be boiled. A train might arrive. The few spare minutes before needing to leave for work may pass.
This matters. When I edit my freewrites, I don’t add things to them. I clean up what’s already there, distill it to its essence, and make the thought complete within itself.
The result is a piece of creative writing that can be enjoyed in its simplicity.
It’s Daily
This is one of the first pieces of advice given to newcomers on Steemit - post every day.
We are now on Day 77, and though I haven’t participated in all of them, @mariannewest certainly has! She encourages people to regularly create content with a small prompt that can grow in whichever direction the writer decides to take it.
This schedule keeps people coming back because they know they will find something new when they do.
It Gets People Involved
The list of people participating has grown over the past few months, and I expect it will only get larger. More than that, @mariannewest encourages people to reach out and connect with one another.
The Isle of Write Discord server has a channel dedicated to the #freewrite, and another channel where you can post your own.
This is a legitimate community-building project that has been incredibly successful. I’ll add my own promotion to it as well - do the #freewrite! You won’t regret it!
These prompts have given me some great inspirations, and I hope they give you some as well.
Inspired by the 5 Minute Freewrite Prompt - If You Have Any Thoughts, Please Let Me Know posted by the lovely @mariannewest!
