W.O. Mitchell, who wrote the 1947 novel Who Has Seen the Wind, is one of the most well-known and respected authors in Canada. He can also be credited with inventing the free fall method for creative writing.
Basics of the Free Fall Creative Writing Method
Many writers struggle with their editorial instinct as they are writing. It can be tempting but also time-consuming and counter-productive. W.O. Mitchell's free fall method encourages writers to switch off their inner editor and just write as the thoughts come into their minds, relying on sensory information and memories. The writer can edit after the piece is finished, but during the process, it is essential that the writer does not revise his or her work.
Why the Free Fall Method is Useful
In his preface to Free-Fall, an Anthology of the Writing Division, W.O. Mitchell wrote that his free fall method of creative writing, helped writers find their "unlimited supply of: sensuous fragments, bits of people, dialogues, emotions and insights." He believed that his free fall method, which he also called "Mitchell's Messy Method," allowed writers to overcome their "critical judgment" and draw from their "uncritical spontaneity."
How to Use the Free Fall Method
The key to using the free fall method is to turn off your internal editor and write what comes to you. Use your senses - describe smells, tastes, sounds, sights and textures. Use your own experiences and memories to build a piece of writing that is true to your writing voice and is not filled with cliche. Mitchell believed that, in his or her reader, the writer had a creative partner, who would benefit from the unique point of view his free fall method would draw out.
The Legacy of the Free Fall Method
Since W.O. Mitchell taught it in schools across Canada, the free fall method has garnered some impressive adherents. For example, the Alexandra Writers' Centre Society in Calgary was formed in 1981 and has used the free fall method as the basis for its writing courses ever since. The Society's literary magazine, Free Fall, is named after the writing method.
With the free fall method of writing, help in overcoming writer's block and finding creative writing ideas can be easier to find. Switch off your inner editor and begin to write as thoughts come into your head. Rely on your senses, memories and experiences and soon you will find your inner writing voice emerging.
References:
Fraser, Ruth (ed)., Free-Fall, an Anthology of the Writing Division, Banff: The Banff Centre, 1978. Accessed 16 March, 2009
Smith Matheson, Shirlee. A Celebration of W.O. Mitchell - A Memorial Tribute. April 25, 1998. University of Calgary. Accessed 16 March, 2009
Samantha Garner - Samantha Garner is a fiction and freelance writer living in Alberta, Canada. She has been writing both online and for print publications ...
