To Freewrite vs. Free to Write #JusJoJan

Posted on by Astrid

I started and restarted this post several times. I really want to broaden my horizons in the writing department. To write more, but also to write more outside of my comfort zone. In a way, I want to experience the freedom I experienced when crafting my independently-created unicorn in the writing process too.

But, as with my crafting, in the writing department, fear is holding me back. Specifically, the fear of failure. The fear of my posts not being read, not being appreciated, getting zero likes or comments. If I don’t get any engagement, why bother blogging, after all? I could just as easily keep a private journal in Day One.

Then again, even in Day One, I censor myself when writing. Even where no-one reads my writings except for possibly my future self, I’m constantly telling myself I’m a bad writer, constantly editing out mistakes or “inappropriate” wording. Yes, I even did this with my Morning Pages back when I did those several times over the past couple of years.

Is it, however, really that I’m looking to freewrite? Or is it more that I want to be free to write? What’s the difference? Well, this is a freewrite.

However, there are other ways in which I let my censor, as Julia Cameron calls it, dictate what I can and can’t write. So many in fact that I hardly write self-growth posts anymore because these don’t get much engagement, even though these are the posts I sometimes feel inspired to write. When I am free to write, I write what I feel inspired to write even when this isn’t a huge success by externally-determined standards like my stats. And who knows, maybe it will be a success someday.

This post was written for today’s #JusJoJan prompt, which is “writing”.

18 thoughts on “To Freewrite vs. Free to Write #JusJoJan”

  1. Hey Astrid,
    don’t let it get you  down, when getting no reaction! You’re not the
    only one to whom it happens. I know it happens to other writers too.
    Do you know how many followers you have? That’s more important. If
    people follow you, then they think that your posts are worth reading1
    I think that you’re a better writer than me!
    I’m allowing myself to deviate here and that is to show that I do read
    your posts, in spite of not reacting very often.

    Some time ago I think you talked about ‘oliebollen’. Maybe you could
    call them doughnut balls? Just a thought. And for appelflappen, which I
    think you didn’t mention, I found the word Apple Fritters.
    Just do go on with your posts. Follow your heart with what you want to
    share with others.
    Fear is a bad advisor!
    The fact that you don’t get likes, or that there is no interaction,
    doesn’t mean that people don’t like your posts.
    So stay true to yourself and don’t let what you write depend on what
    others say, or don’t say!
    But I do read your posts. Sometimes I don’t know how to react or what to
    say and sometimes I’m just very busy.

    I hope this helps you and motivates you!

    Roelie

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    1. Aw thanks so much for encouraging me! And thanks also for thinking up English words for our Dutch-specific foods. I often rely on Google Translate for these things, which isn’t nearly as good as it should be, honestly.

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  6. Might I suggest that you practice being free to write in Day One? If you write there only for yourself, it would be a good place to practice turning off the sensor. Over time, more freedom may sneak into your writing for public distribution.

    Because I am involved with poetry, I know that a lot of poets will freewrite without any sensor to help generate ideas. Later, they look back and there may be a thought or a phrase that inspires them to develop it into a longer piece. There are prose writers who follow a similar practice.

    I admit that I’m notoriously bad at caring about stats and such! I hope you can find a happy medium that brings in a higher level of freedom while keeping up your standards of craft.

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  7. I don’t know about other readers, but when I get behind on reading posts I tend to do more likes only as I don’t have as much time to comment while I am catching up. Followers is a big thing too and you have many that follow you… concentrate on that. Know I am in your corner… write what you feel and want. We will still read it all with enthusiasm! 🤗

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    1. Aw thanks so much for supporting me. Yes, I do a lot more liking on posts than commenting too and I follow even more blogs, though not in the WP reader so it isn’t noticeable to the blogger. (The reason I follow blogs in a feed reader rather than the WP reader is because I follow self-hosted and Blogger blogs too and want them all in one place.)

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