Once the mind-dump is complete, why would you not explore what you’ve written and shape it into something that you can be proud of?
While most of the freewrites I post on steem are ones I'm proud of. I agree with all of what you said. And from now on, if I do a freewrite, I'll make sure to post a heavily edited version of it instead of a mind dump.
I know you wouldn't agree with me when I say a freewrite still have a value (though way less than actual books.) These ideas wouldn't have been known if they weren't prompted by this initiative, and not all people are awesome writers or willing to be ones, if not for an initiative like this their ideas won't be known to the world. I think their showing their ideas and even failed attempts themselves have a value.
My only fear (and I think yours is the same) is that this website becoming like fanfiction %90 are just BAD WORKS and %10 vary from okay to good quality, this is against every REAL writer wish. (To be fair I love fanfiction even though I know they are terrible writings maybe that's why I defend freewrite?)
But with all the bad posts in other tags too, I think it's something we probably can't stop, we can only warn against like this post of yours.
hi again @ahmadmanga, you are clearly putting some thought into this. You say you are not a real writer. How would you define a real writer? I define a real writer as someone who likes to write, is willing to put down their ideas and will work to learn the craft of writing.
Writing is a craft and freewriting has a place as a warmup exercise to get ideas out of your mind and into the light of day. It's like when we learned to write the alphabet and we practiced and practiced making the shapes. They weren't art work but they were our first step to learning to communicate using written language. We discarded those exercises after we finished with them. Like should happen to freewrites.
I just looked at what you put out as a freewrite. I think you undervalued yourself on that post because you called it a freewrite. You did what should be done with freewrites, you shaped it into a short short. IMO, you should have published it as a short short and if you really felt it was necessary made a comment that it started as a freewrite, then do so. Don't put the freewrite material in there.. that's your draft work, not your best work.
I tend to to that, I'm perfectionist and I tend to always think I'm not good enough... Funny, because I tend to see the best in all people's work other than myself.
It's sad that most of those freewriters don't do this, I thought it's necessary when I first started. That's what should change not removing freewriting as without it I wouldn't make that first draft.
I still think I'll leave my drafts there, it'll be better for people to compare how something THIS bad turned into something readable.
Another perspective REAL writers disagree with me with: I always wanted to see the worst works of my favorite professionals to compare them with their best, I know that isn't possible, being a professional means not showing your bad side. But if I ever had fans I want them to have that privilege (Of course, even knowing that doing that will decrease the number of them.)
I agree with you, but I think real writers think professionally, "Will this sell?" "How many people would like it?" "What's the message of the story?" and think "What my next book would be?"
REAL writers can work whatever their mood is, they can force themselves to write something on paper... My writing is just impulsive. Once I had an idea if I didn't make a something out of it fast it'll be on the list of my 'possible' ideas for years (though I used some of them later.)
You can't count the number of things I started on impulse and stopped mid-way, so unprofessional.
WAIT!! why this comment is just me bashing on myself?! I need to be more positive!!!!
You keep insisting on missing a huge point in all this. THE MOMENT YOU EDIT IT ISN'T A FREEWRITE!
Wait... I didn't know that?
Hmmmm...
I understand why you're frustrated now. (Almost) no one can come up with something good in five minutes without editing.