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What is spontaneous prose in Jack Kerouac’s writing?

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Portrait of Jack Kerouac, American novelist and poet, looking over his shoulder in a collared shirt, circa 1965. — Jack Kerouac American novelist and poet Jack Kerouac, c. 1965.

Spontaneous prose is a literary technique developed by Jack Kerouac, heavily influenced by the improvisational nature of bebop jazz. Kerouac viewed this method as a way to capture the "truth of the heart" by avoiding the "lying" of conventional revision, which he believed obscured the immediacy of the moment.12

Key elements of his spontaneous prose include:

"First thought, best thought": Kerouac prioritized raw, unadulterated expression, often writing in a "semi-trance" state to bypass conscious inhibition.2
Jazz-inspired structure: He likened his writing to a horn player blowing a long note. He used "vigorous space dashes" instead of traditional punctuation to mimic the breathing patterns of a musician, allowing him to manipulate time and rhythm.2
Systematic flow: Rather than being haphazard, his writing was organized around "jewel centers"—core images from which he would "riff" using alliteration and assonance until reaching a plateau, at which point a new center would initiate.2

This technique allowed Kerouac to develop a distinct, poetic voice that prioritized the energy of the composition over linear, prosaic structure.2