Lecture 4: Design Manifesto Writing

With Catherine Tomlin

In today's pre-recorded lecture I rediscovered the importance of free writing. The focus of this lecture was to develop our writing skills and demonstrate how to start writing. To accomplish this we completed a free writing task directed by Catherine Tomlin where we set a timer, outlining the time period, as when we would have to practice ‘free writing’. As the name suggests free writing is about forcing yourself to write freely by not focusing on mistakes and improvement but instead trying to write what you can about your chosen subject in full sentences. The concept behind this process is to produce a draft by the conclusion of your free writing period, something you can then edit and improve to a higher standard.

Since completing this Lecture I have utilised free writing throughout my own university work and have found the practice extremely helpful. Growing up dyslexic, writing was never my strong suit; it's always been something I’ve struggled with and therefore avoided. I think free writing is really beneficial as it focuses on not writing perfectly but instead encourages mistakes as something to be fixed at a later time. As I know I can get particularly focused on trying to achieve perfection rather than what's necessary. This has held me back in the past and is something that I hope to overcome.