The Interim: What to do when there is no work to do

I find that I work the best when I have work coming out my ears.  So it can be quite frustrating when there is no work to be done for the theatre.  (This opening reminded me of the blog examples we read in class and the person mentioned that there had been nothing to do...)  I think that, even though there was not an article to write or a program to be proofed, there was plenty of work to be done.  This kind of work, though, does not have a due date.  What is this work?  Free writing!

I first used free writing as a helpful tool in English 301--I had actually never had to use it before.  Free writing for me is a type of brainstorming.  Instead of brainstorming ideas for how to finish something, I brainstormed ideas about how to improve something--my articles.  My first article was featured in the Dominion Post.  This was a treat, but I realized that the amount of time it took me to write the article did not reflect in the quality present.  To put it plainly, it didn't measure up to my standards.  I felt that the only way to improve my writing was to write press releases and articles for movies and plays I already know and to make them new and interesting.  This is how I used free writing.

I used notebook paper to write these, so I'll need to make print copies of them at a later point.  But I did articles promoting such plays as "Kiss Me Kate", "High Society", and "Gigi".  I decided to start with these because I already knew the subject matter--my would these have been helpful beforehand on "Romeo & Juliet"!  Oh, the things you learn!  Then, I used plays and movies that I have heard a bit about but have never seen--i.e. "Pulp Fiction" and "Fargo".  I tried to explain these in fewer than 500 words because a usual article/press release is around 350-450 words.

The best thing about free writing like this is that it is fun!  It's discouraging when people remark that writing isn't fun--it can be, and they can make it fun!  As soon as I finished writing the actual article and before I started free writing, I thought that there was no way I could do anything productive for my internship without something being due.  I learned, though, that even doing something as simple and entertaining as explaining a movie in paper form can help one create new ways to better their own writing.  I'm definitely going to be free writing when I don't have an article to do, and I look forward to being able to revamp old ideas!