Exploring Stream of Consciousness Writing by Prahalad Rajkumar

What if you put pen on paper and let your mind free to write whatever it wants?

Welcome to a literary technique called Stream of Consciousness Writing.

I had heard this term on os.me a couple of times recently.

Here is Elena’s post written in a stream of consciousness session.

Kunal mentioned stream of consciousness when alluding to Improv Diaries post.

In Day 4 of the #WriteWithOSMe Writing Exercise, Medha had us work on three exercises to practice stream-of-consciousness writing.

Exercise 1

When I woke up today, I wanted to write three pages of free-flowing text before joining the Zoom call. I didn’t get the time. Serendipity struck – Medha had us do this exercise! Write the thoughts that come through the mind for 2 minutes.

Julia Cameron calls these the morning pages in her excellent book The Artist’s Way. Funny digression: I purchased this book in 2019 as a gift for my wife Durga, who is an artist. I devoured the book and have written morning pages from time to time.

Writing morning pages is a non-negotiable task in Cameron’s world. She believes that writing the pages will free the mind of clutter, freeing the mind to function well the rest of the day.

Morning pages are uninhibited and unrestricted, and typically private.

I’m therefore not posting mine 🙂

Exercise 2

This was a 4-minute stream-of-consciousness post written from the perspective of another person. Here is my work:

A Glimpse into a Traffic Policeman’s Mind

I don’t know how I will pay rent tomorrow.

My house owner has increased rent by Rs. 1000. Where can I get this Rs. 1000? Oh, I just remembered, the school fees is due next week.

And Seema wanted to buy a bigger TV. How can I find out the money for this? The TV at home is in perfect working condition. Where did she get the idea for a bigger TV? It must be either our pesky neighbor, or her brother.

Her brother is such a bad influence on our family. He is a lawyer, and makes big bucks. He can afford to buy all the comforts his heart desires. And Seema expects me to buy everything her brothers buy.

Rich people are the luckiest people in the entire world. They have no problems at all. It is the poor people like me who have to suffer.

It was not even my dream to become a traffic policeman. My father used his influence and got me this job. I hate it. Who likes standing all day on the road? In rain, and in sun.

A Honda City car has just run a traffic signal. I can squeeze Rs. 1000 from him.

Wait! Here’s something better. There is a BMW behind the Honda City. He hasn’t done anything wrong. How does that matter! I’m sure I can get more money from him that can cover the school fees.

Exercise 3

Write a stream of consciousness post that answers the following three questions.

1. Who is Ethan?
2. Why is he crying?
3. What will he do about it?

Note: 95% of this was written as stream-of-consciousness. I added some frills later.

How Should Ethan Cope When Jenny Crushed His Heart

Ethan is sitting on the sidewalk adjoining the streets of Harvard University.

His girlfriend Jenny just dumped him. She decided to go out instead with the captain of the football team. It was like high school all over again, a deja vu. College was supposed to be different, wasn’t it?

He is crying like a baby. He thought Jenny was the one. He imagined marrying her, raising two amazing children with her.

All of that is non-existent.

Everyone passing by the street takes a look at Ethan, but proceeds along their way.

Ethan has two options. The Turtle Dove bar is right across the corner. He could go there and drink all night. That’s what people who get dumped do, don’t they?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference. – Robert Frost

Ethan doesn’t go to the Turtle Dove. He instead goes to his dorm room and starts coding feverishly. He gets the idea for a software. He codes up a website that lets students connect with one another.

Twenty years later, Ethan’s software has changed the way people connect with one another.

Let me leave you with the following stream of consciousness monologue.