I’ve suggested that you need to make a map when you are writing. Often, this is true, especially when you are stuck or when you are pressed for time. There are times, however, when you don’t want to follow a map. You just want to hit the road and see where it takes you. It’s good to do this in writing too. I don’t recommend it when you are on deadline or if you are working on a piece for a very specific project. But in order to improve your writing, sometimes you should write just to write. You will be surprised at what you find. There are stories hidden in your head just waiting to be discovered. Often, people wait until they have those stories to start writing. This is a mistake. These stories won’t come out of hiding until you are putting words on the paper (or on screen as we generally do these days).

This can be a total free flow exercise. Just sit down and start writing. Maybe it begins with, “I can’t imagine how this can make a difference, but someone said to try it so here I go…” You might find it easer to pick a starting point or use a prompt. If you want reality, write about what it’s like at your house in the morning. If you want something a little more outlandish, write about what it would be like if a spaceship landed on your front lawn this morning. Don’t worry about knowing where you’re headed, just enjoy the ride. Maybe you’ll get something useful out of it. Maybe not. The point is more to strengthen your writing muscles.

If you don’t have much time, don’t spend much time on this. See what you can do in 15 to 30 minutes.

This exercise can also be useful if you’re experiencing writers block on a “real” project. If the thoughts aren’t connecting and you’re having a hard time feeling motivated – try some free writing. It will put you in a writing mindset and that can carry over.