Applying Neuro - Linguistic Method in Creative Writing

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) strategy aims at helping people to compose the text, make transitions from one paragraph to another and in general facilitate the overall writing process and make it pleasant. This strategy allows routing your mental processes during writing with the help of special key words.  The main procedure involves placing the key words at the end of every sentence.  It gives you an opportunity to generate the next idea of your story. For creating this idea we use particular parts of speech that connect impressions and experiences we are writing about. Eye shifting also makes sense, as it enhances your ability to reproduce and construct your ideas and thoughts.

The strategy elements were founded by Robert Dilts and his colleagues while observing the work of efficient writers (http://www.tcu.edu/). The strategy will let you arrange your “mind maps “during writing.  It is meant both for beginners and experienced authors. I also advise students to read the article, though it does not contain any information about term paper format writing. Still I find it useful for you as it shares the strategies of the effective writing you may apply in your endless written assignments. Principles of creative writing strategy: Be aware of your senses; Eye shifting to a certain position helps to switch to one of the sensory channels while you are reflecting; Particular types of keywords control your thinking.  When you place definite words at the end of the sentence it stimulates your ideas;

You build up your composition filling the sentences with words one by one.

To start writing, jot down the title of the future work. Think if it will be some recollection of the past or about making up. It will help you to define what direction to look at afterwards. Consider the audience you are writing for, about the reaction you expect. This is an important factor as it determines “what” and “how” to write.  When you face some difficulties in producing the idea, shift your eyes to a certain position.  It will help you to switch over to the strongest sensory system and will smooth thinking process.

Forming the “cue”. Now you are ready to start a specific process of trusting your thoughts to paper. It can be done with the help of forming the “cue” on key words.  There are several ways to do it.  

1. " Beginner”. You should choose one word among other connecting words. Then put this cue in your mind at the end of every sentence until you finish the paragraph.  The aim of the method is to guide and promote your thoughts.  

2. Changing the connections. You alternate cue connections throughout the paragraph. You will change the words at the end of your sentences in a specific succession. This method aims at developing the sense of cohesion and identity within the paragraph.

3. Choosing the connections. You are free to choose which connection to use in the last sentence of the paragraph.  It makes your text flexible and you can control the course of narration due to various sense connections in the paragraph.

4. Changing the perspective.  Here two more keyword types are added to the cue.  The first type is narrator’s position.  Changing narrator’s position you change the person of the story and use other pronouns (e.g. I – we; he/she – they). Another type includes sensory verbs, such as hear, listen, feel show, perceive, see, look, etc. In this case your cue consists of three elements: connection, narrator’s position and a sensory verb. You put the narrator’s position and sensory verb at the beginning of the paragraph while the choice of the connection may be occasional. This method helps you to have a new and fresh look at the subject, to have a deeper feeling for the images of your story. Besides, remember about your readers. Some will understand your writing better if you describe feelings; others will require pictures and another group will enjoy dialogues.

5. Composition leads you through the general succession of different perception types. The strategy creates your unique writing style.

6. “Expert”. This method gives you a complete freedom of choice which cue you wish to use. It allows writing at your natural speed before you come to the deadlock.  After that, take one or all categories of cues to create a new one. Due to the flexible character of expert method you can employ a strategy that does not push you to finish the sentence.  At this stage never include connections in the text. You can apply this method for writing a rough draft for most of your compositions. I hope with these methods your writing will run smooth and you will enjoy it. These methods will help you to speed up the writing process and make it more creative. And perhaps after that the tutor at college will demonstrate your writing as a sample term paper to other students.