The Writing Process I.3 Invention Techniques

The Purpose of Invention Techniques is to help you generate content quickly and painlessly. NOTE: Inventing should be done quickly, almost without thinking. It tends to be messy, maybe incoherent to anyone else. That’s okay. No one else will see it.

Four Principles for Inventing Give yourself enough time to really play. Give yourself enough time to really play. Don’t work at thinking; don’t think of working. Don’t work at thinking; don’t think of working. Don’t be too sure of where you’re going. Don’t be too sure of where you’re going. When finished, reread what you’ve written: When finished, reread what you’ve written: Look for bright spots, surprises Look for bright spots, surprises Look for an angle or an unexpected insight Look for an angle or an unexpected insight

Five Invention Techniques: Free writing Free writing Focused Free writing Focused Free writing Brainstorming Brainstorming Mapping Mapping Cubing Cubing

Free Writing  Sit down in front of a typewriter or computer  Set an egg timer for ten minutes  Clear your mind  Begin writing, about anything at all Note: There are no rules in free writing: Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation

How it Helps: Breaks up writer’s block Breaks up writer’s block Gets creative juices flowing Gets creative juices flowing

Focused Free Writing When you’re confident you can write freely, try this: Free write, but focus on the topic of your essay. Let your mind run freely on the topic as you write.

How it Helps: Generates specific content for your paper Generates specific content for your paper with a minimum of time and effort.

Brainstorming (making a list) Set timer for ten minutes. Set timer for ten minutes. List everything you can think of associated with your topic. List everything you can think of associated with your topic. Don’t judge: Don’t judge: write down everything that comes to mind

When you’re finished: Cross you items that don’t belong. Cross you items that don’t belong. Draw arrows to connect items that go together. Draw arrows to connect items that go together.

Keep Doing It: Brainstorm your thesis. Brainstorm your thesis. Brainstorm your map. Brainstorm your map. Brainstorm details, descriptions, evidence. Brainstorm details, descriptions, evidence. Brainstorm paragraphs, even sentences. Brainstorm paragraphs, even sentences.

How it Helps: Generates specific material quickly and easily. Generates specific material quickly and easily. Effective at any stage of the writing process. Effective at any stage of the writing process.

Mapping (the word association game) Set aside ten minutes. Set aside ten minutes. Write your topic in the center of the paper and circle it. Write your topic in the center of the paper and circle it. Playfully free associate, Playfully free associate, drawing a line between the topic word and the next word it suggests to your mind. Continue making connections until the line runs out. Continue making connections until the line runs out.

When the line runs out: Begin again, from the topic word or from another spot on the line. Don’t try to make sense of the chains of words. Don’t try to make sense of the chains of words. Don’t try to make them connect logically. Don’t try to make them connect logically.

When you’re done:  Allow your mind to wander over the connections.  Free write for ten minutes based on connections you’ve discovered.

How it Helps: Mapping helps the mind make connections. Mapping helps the mind make connections. Mapping can help suggest a structure for the essay. Mapping can help suggest a structure for the essay. Mapping takes little time and effort to generate a lot of material. Mapping takes little time and effort to generate a lot of material.

Cubing (looking at your topic from six sides)  Describing  Comparing  Associating  Analyzing  Applying  Arguing

Describing What does your subject look like? What does your subject look like? What size is it? What size is it? What color? What color? What shape? What shape?

Comparing What is your subject similar to? What is your subject similar to? What is it different from? What is it different from?

Associating What’s it make you think of? What’s it make you think of?

Analyzing Where does it come from? Where does it come from? Where’s it going? Where’s it going? What are its parts? What are its parts? How are its parts related? How are its parts related?

Applying What can you do with your subject? What can you do with your subject? What uses does it have? What uses does it have?

Arguing What arguments can you make for your subject? What arguments can you make for your subject? What arguments can be made against it? What arguments can be made against it?

How to do it: Select a topic, subject, or part of a subject. Select a topic, subject, or part of a subject. Hold it in focus. Hold it in focus. Limit your writing to 3 to 5 minutes for each perspective. Limit your writing to 3 to 5 minutes for each perspective. Write about your subject from all 6 perspectives. Write about your subject from all 6 perspectives.

Two other strategies to help generate content: Journals Journals Reactive Reading Reactive Reading

Journals A writing journal is a notebook of freewrites. Build up ideas for writing by jotting down  things you see, experience, or think about  observations and overheard conversations  sketches of people who catch your attention  your goals and priorities  your dreams and desires

Reactive Reading Keep a list of new words and ideas you learn in your reading. Keep a list of new words and ideas you learn in your reading. Write about your associations, reflections, reactions, and evaluations. Write about your associations, reflections, reactions, and evaluations. Summarize or copy good or important passages and comment on them. Summarize or copy good or important passages and comment on them.