Streams of Consciousness

One of my favorite things about writing is the open nature it presents. I can literally write about anything I want, whenever I want, and in any format I choose. I think that exploring multiple avenues of expression is a critically important approach for any writer who is attempting to flex their creative muscles.

This is one of the reasons I occasionally drop off my novel writing and punch out a poem or two. It is also the reason I like to throw in a short story or two when I’m stuck somewhere with nothing but a pen and a pad of paper to occupy my time. It is also the reason that I write daily streams of consciousness.

In their purest form, streams of consciousness seek to emulate the thought patterns as they occur. Rather than breaking for standard dialogue or descriptions, they seek to follow the thought process as it comes. For me, this forces a very spontaneous, unplanned way of putting words to paper. This can be useful, as it forces you to write on the fly, leaving less thought to the words themselves and instead putting down the words as quickly as they come to mind.

This can be a valuable tool for building understanding of how your characters think and feel. Sometimes we get so lost in the idea of telling a story, we forget that our characters are (usually) human, with all the hopes, dreams, and fears that come along with such a state. If you write, or want to write, I would highly recommend this form of writing as a regular exercise. It takes time to become comfortable with the style it forces, but you will not regret the time you spend.

Heck, you might even learn something about yourself.