Creative Writing Heals
Keep reading to explore this topic, then leave a comment to join this dialogue. And don’t forget to check out today’s writing prompt at the bottom of the post. [Ed. from the Archive.]
Readers, consider this post an addendum to the post I wrote last year: Why You Should Write as the World Burns, in which I outlined a multitude of reasons why the act of writing is so crucial right now, and always.
In this post, however, I want to focus on the importance of creative writing specifically, and how writing creatively has the power to heal. At least, it does for me.
When I write creatively, I am able to let go of all the perfectionism and arbitrary rules of the world and its words that tend to weigh me down. The rules of writing become looser and grayer when I truly allow myself to let go and create something authentic, which allows me to enjoy the process of creating worlds with words that exist only as I create them, how I want to create them— a process that is liberating and builds confidence, which heals my inner critic and satiates my sense of belonging. When I write creatively, I feel capable and start to appreciate my own company and human capacity for living again.
Creative writing is also joyful when there are no presumed false limitations set for me. When I use words and grammar and punctuation in the playground of creative writing, I am happy in a creative space where I can push the limits of what I know, what I think I know, what I see, what I think I see, and what I want to see exist next. And such a joyful experience— as creating something that has a bit of all those aforementioned things mixed together in its own authentic space is thrilling and fun— is a gentle reminder that there are hardly ever strict rights and wrongs, only things that are understood and felt, and things that are not. Creative writing offers small and large revelations of life, living, and joy that heal.
Creative writing offers a low-impact way for me to dig deeper too. Writing creatively allows me to unearth absorbed observations and patterns and sensual experiences that surround me every day over multiple yesterdays and potential tomorrows without too much sweat or effort. Creative writing exercises are akin to swimming in the pool of my mind, in other words, as they allow me to exert myself in the cool, safe waters of my imagination without wearing me out, unless I’m underwater too long. In this sense, creative writing stretches and heals my creative lungs and creative endurance over time.
Above all, when I write creatively, I remain curious and exploratory, not judgmental and severe. And this heals the inner child within me, allowing them to write what they were never able or willing to express before. Where there once was black and white in my writing before, there are neon lights and sparkles in my words when I write creatively. And this allows authenticity and truth to surface again.
Creative writing consistently heals, I know, my inner capacity to acknowledge and express all things profoundly human and beautiful and true, sometimes without ever even meaning to ...
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© This work is not available for artificial intelligence (AI) training. All Rights Reserved by K.E. Creighton; Creighton’s Compositions LLC.
Today’s Writing Prompt
Writing Prompt: Free Write, Hope
Set a timer for ten minutes. Once you start the timer, start free writing about what hope is, why it's important, and what it means to you. And don’t stop writing until the timer goes off.
When free writing, try to write whatever comes up as you’re writing as soon as it surfaces, and don't overthink what you're writing about.
Feel free to repeat this free writing exercise for any topic in the future, as well, especially when you find yourself stuck or need a bit of creative inspiration.
