constraints
Shoreditch in black and white, by Terry Freedman
The standard advice for writers who are feeling uninspired or blocked is to allow your mind to wander where it will or to just start writing aimlessly to see what happens. Therefore to suggest the opposite approach, that of imposing some constraints on your thinking, seems completely counterintuitive.
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Think outside the box, by Terry Freedman
When it comes to communication, being restricted is definitely better, ie more conducive to effectiveness, than having no limits at all.
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stop look listen, by Terry Freedman
Did you know that Raymond Queneau produced a single sonnet that could be read 100 trillion ways?
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stop look listen, by Terry Freedman
Lipograms, N+7, the snowball, and other techniques
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That’s the name of a one-day course I will be teaching at the City Lit on 13 June 2026. It’s already half full.
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Oulipo word cloud
Can creative writing be automated (without using A|).
Read MoreHow many ways can you organise a library?
Read MoreHave you ever thought about all the jobs you’ve had, whether paid for or as a volunteer?
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Shoredticth in black and white, by Terry Freedman
The standard advice for writers who are feeling uninspired or blocked is to allow your mind to wander where it will or to just start writing aimlessly to see what happens. Therefore to suggest the opposite approach, that of imposing some constraints on your thinking, seems completely counterintuitive.
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What is writing with constraints? In a nutshell, it means writing according to specific and tight rules. The “official” name for this is Oulipo, which is a French acronym for Ouvroir de littérature potentielle.
Read MoreIn London on June 8th I’ll be teaching a course called Creative Writing Using Constraints, an introduction to the world of the Oulipo. This is a round-up of some of the books I’ll be referring to and talking about.
Read MoreThis course will look at examples of constraints created by some of the Oulipo’s main proponents, with work including the Hundred Thousand Billion Sonnets, the Metro Poem, and others. Course participants will have the opportunity to try out several techniques, and invent one or two of their own.
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Think outside the box, by Terry Freedman
When it comes to communication, being restricted is definitely better, ie more conducive to effectiveness, than having no limits at all.
Read MoreWorking within a limit of 100 words is both terrifying and liberating.
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Blue Cube, by Terry Freedman
In a recent article I set a puzzle: identifying the hidden homophonics in a short story. Here are the answers.
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