Creative writing has been an astounding creative outlet for me. For years I have been trying to find a way to be able to let my imagination run wild in a way that is truly satisfying and provides an immense amount of joy. While recovering from back surgery I was able to find this sense of freedom in writing. Writing is a gateway for my mind to enter and explore new worlds with vigorous passion. While being bedridden during recovery it felt good to be able to put the nib to paper and create something from nothing. It’s an adventure to say the least, but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve learned a lot about the process and in turn I’ve learned a lot about myself. Below are five things I’ve learned during my first year writing for myself and hopefully you’ll pick up the pen and tell your story
1. It can be challenging, but worth it
Starting down the path of creative writing can seem like a harrowing endeavor. You’ll ask yourself “What do I write? What can I offer? How can I make my prose read like Stephen King?”. Let’s not forget the stage fright that comes with putting your writing out there for everyone to see. Getting started seems like a task, but all it comes down to is putting that nib to the paper. Just write. Don’t know what to write about? Good. That means your free to write whatever you want. Let your mind wander. Do you have a favorite story from when you were young that you’d like to add on to? Guess what… You can do that. Once you break through that initial wall you’ll find that writing is a fun challenge that can boost your creativity.
2. Discipline. Discipline. Discipline.
Have you ever started something only to let it fall off the proverbial cliff? Yeah, me too. When I began this journey I put everything I had into it. It doesn’t help that my journey began during national novel writing month, a challenge to writing a 50k word novel during the month of November. This challenge was great but do you think I completed it? Nope. I burnt out on day three.
I quickly learned to dial it back and strive to write as little as one sentence per day. This helped for a little while but then I found that there were days when I couldn’t even add to the story I was writing. I was stuck. The infamous writer’s block had planted itself firmly in my path and became an obstacle. How did I overcome it? I decided that each day if I couldn’t add to my story then I would, at the very least, write one random sentence. It didn’t have to make sense, I just had to write; nib to paper. This simple act created a powerful habit which carried over into my journaling.
Now I am at a point where I can’t go a day with out jotting something down. This simple process has carried over into other habits in my life such as physical fitness, nutrition, reading, and much more. Having discipline in your craft pays dividends, no matter how little you do.
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
― Stephen King
3. It Improves Mental Health
Creative writing has plenty of mental health benefits. Establishing a writing habit and sticking to it can pay mental dividends. When we sit down to write, especially when journaling, we force ourselves to organize our otherwise chaotic thoughts in a way that makes sense. This form of expression can truly help relieve stress and process emotions in a healthy way.
According to a study published in the journal “British Journal of Health Psychology,” writing can help improve self-esteem. The study found that those who wrote about their thoughts and feelings had an increase in self-esteem and reductions in anxiety, while those who did not write showed no change. These findings suggest that writing can be an effective way to boost self-esteem and reduce stress (Smith, 2018)1.
Speaking for myself, I can say I noticed a significant difference in my mental clarity and I felt like I lifted a lot of weight off of my shoulders after journaling each night before bed. Writing before bed has been a great habit that helps me not only sleep but I feel most creative when I know I’m just writing for the fun of it before I hit the sack. Give it a try!
4. Better Problem Solving
When learning how to write creatively it becomes normal to analyze sentence structure and analyze the story as a whole. It pays to outline your story and plan it out. This level of planning and analyzing results in better problem solving skills. While attending an academically heavy military school, the Infantry Mortar Leadership Course (if you know, you know), I would write something everyday. I noticed that this helped me during class when I had to be extremely disciplined in my ability to analyze the missions and make proper decisions to be successful. This form of exercise for my brain has helped out a lot with problem solving in everyday situations as well.
5. The Story Circle is King
If you search YouTube for anything about creative writing you are going to eventually find videos on Dan Harmon and his famous take on the Hero’s Journey, an archetypal story pattern most commonly used in ancient myths and modern day adventures. This template for storytelling shows the hero of the story embarking on an adventure, being victorious in his crisis, and returning home having changed. Harmon decided to alter it slightly for his hit adult animated comedy Rick and Morty. This story structure is as simple as it gets and can help create a compelling story no matter what the setting. Having a framework to fall back on in writing can help ease the burden of coming up with a solid foundation for a story. The best challenge? Write a 2-3 sentence story (aka flash fiction) using the story circle. It’s a great way to exercise those creative muscles.
Summary
Taking up creative writing as a hobby and developing this skill has been extremely rewarding. It’s been a great creative outlet that’s proven to be challenging and has tested my ability to stay disciplined in creating a writing habit. Maintaining a solid writing schedule has been great for letting my creative juices flow and it’s definitely helped relieve stress. If you have ever thought about writing your own story or even starting a journaling habit I challenge you to put the nib to the paper and get started. You won’t regret it.
Thanks for reading this far and I’ll see you in the next one!
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”
― Stephen King,
References:
1Smith, M.A., Thompson, A., Hall, L.J., Allen, S.F. and Wetherell, M.A. (2018), The physical and psychological health benefits of positive emotional writing: Investigating the moderating role of Type D (distressed) personality. Br J Health Psychol, 23: 857–871.