Steam of Consciousness Writing is Dangerous and Should Be Avoided
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Lead and warn by example?
A response to Linda Caroll’s response to Rick Lewis.
I went back to read Rick’s work before I started to write my response.
As it turns out Rick was inspired by yet another Medium writer who (originally?) issued this challenge: Write unfettered, for 15 minutes freestyle stream of consciousness.
Stream of consciousness writing means to keep flowing, going with the flow no matter where it takes you. First off, I have to inform you that my mind has a way of wandering off topic. Second, I have to admit that I believe I have a bit of an advantage over your average person because of the 150 years I spent in school, teaching and as a student.
Third, I have to admit that I have an anchor in the first sentence I wrote, keeping me on topic. I don’t know if that’s cheating. There are many streams my awakened mind could follow at any moment: world hunger, nursing facilities, buying mobile homes, the level of food in the cat’s bowl, Amazon packages, the rain, or perhaps, steam of consciousness writing as presented to me this morning by Linda Carroll.
I was just kidding about awakened. I was trying to make a joke but couldn’t come up with the tag line in time. Observant sounds like a better word. Observant or focused, seem like dichotomous mindsets.
I also have to admit to a more shameful fourth advantage: about half of what I’ve written on Medium falls into the category of “steam of consciousness.” I’m sorry. I sincerely apologize.
As a person with my experience in education, I should know better.
I should know that stream of consciousness writing, while it comes with a feeling of raw power, I should know that that power is bulky and unfocused.
As I said about half of my published writing on Medium is stream of consciousness writing. Call me arrogant, but I feel that the quality and organization of my writing with my experience is sufficiently enough to get my point across and move along.
