This experimental technique builds on and extends freewriting and which is particularly helpful for generating new ideas, moving past “blocked” ways of understanding issues, texts, feelings. You'll need lots of paper, a comfortable writing utensil, and a timer set to 7 minutes.

Write a topic or starting point at the top of a page and do a focused freewrite for a period of seven minutes. After seven minutes of continuous writing, stop and take a look over what you have written, underlining or circling a particular word, phrase, sentence or idea that strikes you as interesting, or as something you have more to say about. (Usually I just read through until something I've just written "jumps out" at me.) Put that word/phrase at the top of another focused freewrite—and repeat.

Peripheral writing often ‘lets in’ ideas or understandings—sometimes even memories—you might not otherwise get down on paper: it releases thoughts in your “peripheral” mind and vision and allows you to ‘look straight at them.’ It is most effective when done for six or more rounds—well past the point where you’ve exhausted the thoughts you had ‘on top.’

This technique was developed by Peter Elbow, who also popularized freewriting. He calls it "loop writing."