Free writing is a writing technique develop by Peter Elbow in 1973. It is very similar to the Brainstorming writing technique but is written in sentence and paragraph from without stopping to write. (Writing Process. n.d.)
As describe by the Writing Process website, this technique increases the flow ideas and at the same time, reduces the chance of censor a good idea. It also helps to increase fluency second language learners.
Allen Campbell (n.d.), from the University of Lynchburg suggest some steps when applying the Free Writing technique. He suggests to first ask the reader to clear the mind and forget the rules concerning to grammar. As it was suggest by him, this is the most important part of this exercise. Then, it will be better if there is a time limit for the implementation of this technique. For a beginner students it is suggested to set from fifteen to twenty minutes for the application of it. Finally, once the time has expired, Allen suggests to go back to the paper, read it slowly and underline all of the ideas that could fit the formal writing the student is working for. If it not enough, it will be better to take a break and then try a second session later, but in this second time remind the student to be focused on the subject she or he is writing.
FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment. It utilizes a hide-away interface that you access by moving your mouse to the edges of the screen, allowing the program to have a familiar look and feel to it while still getting out of the way so that you can immerse yourself in your work. It’s available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X, and has been translated into many different languages.
Even its creators call this app sadistic. If you stop typing for more than about 3 seconds it deletes everything you have written up to that point. It could force you into completing your work before that looming deadline, or it might just make you destroy your laptop in a fit of rage.