Where EIU Writes: On A Walk?

The more students I interview, the clearer it is.

Most writers spend a lot more time going over ideas in their heads than they do putting pen to paper or fingertips to home row.

So, for this blog post in a series about where EIU students are writing, we’re going on a walk.

Where? That actually doesn’t matter.

In fact, some studies (link below) suggest that simply taking a walk helps promote creativity. That’s right; you might actually be working harder than you think when trudging from classroom to dorm room.

Ever catch yourself pacing when trying to solve a problem? It’s probably not restless legs syndrome that’s making you do it. Now you might be wondering if bouncing your leg like a neurotic mess is boosting your creativity too.

And you might be right to think so.

Believe it or not, prewriting is a major part of writing, and when we’re on the verge of penning that first draft, as we so often are, our brains work like magnets, pulling everything toward the subject we want to write about. If we see an old experience through a new lens—through the eyes of our paper topic—it brings us that much closer to knowing what we have discovered, and what we have to say.

So, bounce your leg, pace, or take a walk. Maybe looking for the right place to write isn’t as important as just looking around, letting that magnet work, and taking advantage of the power of prewriting.

References:

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/04/creativity-walk.aspx