Creative writing is more than just a hobby for many people. For some, it is their way of exploring the world through language, and a passion that can last a lifetime. When someone decides to pursue creative writing, it is usually because they wish to change the way the world views or interacts with the English language. There are many arguments as to whether creative writing should be taught in schools or not, but for now, let’s stick with how it affects the brain.
Mental Toughness
When you are learning to write creatively, whether through poetry or fiction, you are essentially engaging with an unfamiliar skill set. Depending on your background, this could feel like a huge challenge, even if you are fortunate enough to have had formal training in creative writing. The key to overcoming this feeling of unease is by applying yourself mentally, and finding the motivation to continue exploring this realm of language. When you are sitting down to write, you should feel challenged, yet capable of completing the task at hand. This is what the creative writing process develops in your brain: mental toughness.
Improved Flexibility
When you are learning to write creatively, you are expanding your linguistic abilities, and increasing your vocabulary. Because there is no right or wrong way of writing, when you are doing creative writing, you are essentially writing what you feel, and who you are. As a result of this flexible approach, when you are writing a creative piece, you are improving your overall linguistic abilities, and increasing your vocabulary. One of the biggest benefits of this is that when you are writing creatively, you are not tied to one specific form, or structure; you can essentially write in any way that presents itself in your mind’s eye, and the resulting product may surprise you with its imaginative quality.
Improved Analytical Skills
Creative writing can be a highly analytical exercise, as you are required to break down the language you are using, and reassemble it in a new way. When you are analyzing a piece of creative writing, whether you are dissecting the imagery, or parsing the language, you are essentially applying your analytical skills, and the results of your analysis can be extremely beneficial. The ability to break down a piece of text, and reassemble it in a different way, is what good analysts do. Creative writing develops your ability to analyze situations, and identify key words or phrases which can then be applied to other studies or analyses you may be doing. Creative writing also improves your ability to identify the underlying meaning of a text, and in so doing, helps you understand your world, and the world around you. Creative writing encourages you to think flexibly, and in so doing, aids you in becoming a more well-rounded individual.
Creativity
We could talk about creativity all day long, but essentially, creativity is simply the act of creating something new, or improving upon something existing. When a poet writes a sonnet, or an author writes a novel, they are essentially expressing their creativity, in the act of bringing something new into existence. When you are writing creatively, you are not only improving your analytical and linguistic skills, but you are also expressing your creativity through the act of composition. When you are creating something new, your mind is essentially freed from the limitation of routine, and you are able to explore new possibilities, and concepts which may arise from your associations. When you are writing creatively, you are not only developing your vocabulary, you are also increasing your mental flexibility, and in turn, displaying your creativity.
Improved Self-expression
One of the reasons why many people choose to write creatively is because they wish to experiment with new forms, and see how a particular piece of language or imagery would sound, or look. When you are writing creatively, especially when you are beginning, you are essentially just playing with language, trying out new ideas, and seeing how the piece would read. You are not actually trying to communicate with another person, you are simply experimenting with the form, and seeing how it would read. This is why many people experiment with different styles of writing, before ultimately deciding on which direction they wish to take. Experimentation is key to any creative endeavor. When you are playing with language, and imagery, you are displaying your creativity, and allowing yourself to experiment without fear of failure. Self-expression is improved through creative writing, because when you are writing creatively, you are essentially just playing with language, and seeing how it would read. This is why many people choose to write creatively: they wish to experiment with new ideas, and see how a particular piece of language would sound, or look in context. In many ways, creative writing is similar to art in that it allows you to experiment with new ways of thinking, and seeing how language would look or sound. This is not to say that art is not valuable; it is extremely meaningful, as you are able to engage with a subject matter, or personality which may be difficult to access otherwise. Art also allows you to explore new ways of looking, and experiencing the world around you. Ultimately, while there are many benefits to creative writing, whether through poetry or fiction, you should not feel pressured to write creatively if it does not feel right for you. Ultimately, it is about finding the thing that inspires you, and allows you to express yourself, creatively. If you do decide to write creatively, be sure to have fun with it!