our manifesto

Elbow claims that speed is not the goal. Gary would agree, characterizing it as a means to an end:

When I play the guitar I am constantly trying to play less and say more. Too many guitarists that I hear spew rehearsed scales at increasing speed, using a million notes, but not saying a single thing. There are moments when speed, juxtaposed with simpler phrasing, can really say a lot. But when abused, speed and density can be numbing.

Elbow doesn’t go that far. The 2004 Bard Workshop on Writing and Thinking: Elbow, the conference keynote; his talk, “Freewriting: A Gift-and a Problem.” But the problem for Elbow seemed to be that people wanted to know, where do we go from here? His practical message: “Don’t push the goals of freewriting.” Elbow cautioned the audience not to “pollute” freewriting. How, exactly, does one pollute garbage? Perhaps by cleaning it up? By subjecting it to (public) scrutiny? “Freewriting,” declares Elbow, “is not free.”

What freewriting is, or must be, to varying degrees, is safe, risky, private, shared, ecstatic, violent. Useful binaries indeed.

somebody else's

The drawback to speed chess is that at the amateur level, games are extremely sloppy and nothing is being learned. Cafes and other amatuer chess scenes are full of speed chess players who stay at the same level year after year. Slower time controls are the best way to improve your chess.

Elbow himself comments on the current state of freewriting:

“Now, no one seems scared of freewriting. I see no opposition to it even from conservative voices. Virtually every writing textbook describes freewriting as a useful activity. Freewriting is domesticated.”

“But I’m afraid freewriting is now domesticated in the sad sense of that word: watered down; tamed. I think a majority of teachers and theorists feel: ‘We need to introduce freewriting to students. We’ll give them a book that talks about it.’ and perhaps ‘Let’s try it a few times.’ And that’s it.”

dialogues and exchanges

My move: I think we should talk some more about speed chess.

Your move: Luigi.

My move: Luigi?

Your move:Yeah, Luigi. He was in his 70s, maybe late 60s. Homeless guy. He said he wasn't homeless, but. . .I think he was homeless. He would be out there all the time, in Washington Square. He always played at the same table, no matter what. Some days, snow would be piling up and piling up and his feet would just be buried. But he would religiously dig into the snow and clear off his table. He always had somebody to play with.

My move:What was it like, playing with him?

Your move:Well, they always have to decide, you know, do they destroy you really quickly. . .because obviously they need the money. . .or do they string you along. That's the balance, right? But with Luigi, the kind of time he took with you was a measure of his respect of you. I remember he took such care of his pieces and his timer. There was precision in his packing and unpacking. If you hit the timer too hard, he would get angry. He was so careful with the time.