Showing posts with label stream of consciousness writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stream of consciousness writing. Show all posts
Friday, February 19, 2010
A Good Time for Sports Fans
Today has been a busy day and I really don't have anything in mind to write about, so I will practice a little stream of consciousness writing. So what's on my mind? I'm thinking that this is a good time for people who are interested in sports, like me. We've got the Winter Olympics going on, Tiger Wood's statement today, March Madness coming up soon, and the NBA. Something for everyone except football and baseball fans. Oh, I almost forgot the soccer World Cup will be coming soon. My daughter Maria is getting ready to start the rugby season next week. So this is a pretty good time for sports fans. At least for this sports fan.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Stream of Consciousness Writing and Journals
I teach a writing class for college English-as-a-Second-Language students about how to write good paragraphs and simple essays. That was the topic of my blog yesterday.
There is a different kind of writing called stream of consciousness writing. As the name implies, in this type of writing you write about what you are thinking. You put down your ideas in words as they run through your mind like a stream, or river. Stream of consciousness writing can be fun to write and even more fun to read, but it is unorganized and all over the place because, well, that's what our thinking is usually like. I wonder how many thoughts run through our minds on a given day. I'm not sure anyone has every tried to estimate that! I ask my writing students to keep a journal every day. I encourage them to write about whatever they are doing or thinking. Sometimes they just write about their daily routines, but I encourage them to do more abstract writing about their thoughts, ideas, dreams, daydreams, plans, memories, likes, dislikes, pet peeves, whatever they are thinking about. I tell them that this will help them expand their vocabulary, and it might be easy, or it may be hard, to translate their thoughts into words. I tell them not to worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation--just write. I explain to them that learning to write is like learning how to play the piano or ride a bicycle. Writing is a skill that you need to practice every day if you want to improve.
There is a different kind of writing called stream of consciousness writing. As the name implies, in this type of writing you write about what you are thinking. You put down your ideas in words as they run through your mind like a stream, or river. Stream of consciousness writing can be fun to write and even more fun to read, but it is unorganized and all over the place because, well, that's what our thinking is usually like. I wonder how many thoughts run through our minds on a given day. I'm not sure anyone has every tried to estimate that! I ask my writing students to keep a journal every day. I encourage them to write about whatever they are doing or thinking. Sometimes they just write about their daily routines, but I encourage them to do more abstract writing about their thoughts, ideas, dreams, daydreams, plans, memories, likes, dislikes, pet peeves, whatever they are thinking about. I tell them that this will help them expand their vocabulary, and it might be easy, or it may be hard, to translate their thoughts into words. I tell them not to worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation--just write. I explain to them that learning to write is like learning how to play the piano or ride a bicycle. Writing is a skill that you need to practice every day if you want to improve.
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