Randomness and chance as Writing Methodology
What is it about?
In this article for The Journal of Writing in Creative Practice I explore the use of randomisation and chance in writing. The physical aspect of the cut-up poem developed in the Dada art movement is central and I foreground agency through the increased materiality of the 'monteur' process.
Why is it important?
This article attempts to first speculate and then demonstrate how Dada methods can be used by creative practitioners or writers in general within an academic essay. In particular, the inclusion of randomness and chance is examined in the writing process with a view to foreground materiality in writing development and execution. Methods to make use of chance and to randomize text are outlined and the distinction between randomness and chance is clearly drawn.