Freespeaking is the spoken equivalent of freewriting. Instead of stream of consciousness writing, you record yourself speaking whatever comes to mind about a particular topic. Ideally, you do it with some kind of transcription service, so that it's easy to conduct a Resonance Review later.
Freespeaking is great for Targeted Inquiry work. In my experience, it can take on a slightly different flavor than freewriting. I sometimes find myself speaking different things, and going in different directions, than I would if I were writing. It's like it accesses a different part of my brain, with different communication habits. I've also found that I can speak way faster than I write. My output from a 10 minute freespeaking session is usually about double than what I'd get from writing, especially if I don't stop speaking the whole time.
For many of us, myself included, speaking is more difficult than writing, especially when it comes to this stream of consciousness style. We've been conditioned to think before speaking. Our inner-critics are well versed at making sure we don't say anything stupid, because they're trying to keep us safe from social consequences. But freespeaking works when you bypass these safety mechanisms.
It can take some work to break these old patterns and work up to that pure stream of consciousness state. If it's frustrating for you, I recommend checking out the games and courses that Ultraspeaking creates. They're the ones who helped me loosen up and stop overthinking my speaking a few years ago. 10/10 would recommend.
A handful of freespeaking tips
- Find a recorder/transcription tool that works for you and that's easily accessible. Descript and otter.ai are good options, but most phones/computers have some level of transcription built in. Most days, I just use the one that's included with my Mac. (update 2024: I've also really enjoyed the Superwhisper app lately).
- Remind yourself that you're creating a safe container away from social norms. This isn’t a conversation or an interview. There are no social stakes. Let your brain pour out ideas accordingly, including the unhinged ones you'd never say to another person!
- Challenge yourself to keep the ideas flowing no matter what. Just say the next thing that comes to your mind, even if it's gibberish.
- Challenge yourself to speed up your speaking. Many of us have conditioning that's about slowing down so we can be understood. But when you intentionally speed up, and combine that with not stopping, that's when you find yourself saying things you never otherwise would.
