Page 89 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Focused Freewriting

Focused freewriting helps you zoom in on a topic and bring ideas

into closer focus. Rather than ranging outward in all directions,

focused freewriting examines a narrow topic. Use focused freewriting

when the assigned topic is a specific question or when you have

narrowed your topic through previous prewriting. Focused freewriting
is just like any other freewriting, but with a narrower range.

Example of Focused Freewriting

Here is how one writer, Eric, handled a focused freewriting on the

question “What rules of etiquette are important today?”

Some people today totally ignore manners, as if they are not important. Some of the old
rules are gone but new ones replace them. Just like that old guy in the health club who

said he never opened doors for women. He seemed to think that he didn’t have to be

polite anymore. That’s wrong. Manners are just basic consideration for other people.
Maybe there was a time when it was which fork to use, that kind of thing, but now that the

world is so crowded, that stuff matters less and respecting people’s space matters more.
New rules come up for new situations, too. There are rules for computers and email and

rules for talking on the phone and texting. All the old stereotypes are out and manners are

just practical ways of getting along in the world.

Exercise 2-3 Focused Freewriting

Do a focused freewriting on one of the following topics.