Looping is yet another form of freewriting. During a looping session, you write (or dictate) for a set amount of time (five minutes works well) and then read what you’ve written. As you read, identify one key idea in what you’ve written, and then repeat the process with this new idea as your starting point. If you’re using a word-processing program, you can copy the sentence and paste it below your freewriting; if you are writing by hand, highlight or draw a circle around the sentence. Repeat the looping process as needed to refine your ideas.

Bob’s looping session built on the last sentence of his freewriting exercise.

A lot of people want to help veterans adjust to life after war, but they don’t really know what to do. Unemployment can be tough on anyone, but for veterans who have had a purpose and a mission, it can be especially hard. And well-meaning friends and family might ask a lot of questions about what it was like being at war, but veterans usually want to put those experiences behind them.