Often times when we hear the word creative writing, we associate the word specifically with fictional stories, poetry, and perhaps even world-building. Nevertheless, creative writing is more than simply an artistic outlet for writers; it is a way in which writers can practice the craft of communication and articulation; it is a way in which writers can learn to become more proficient; and it is especially a way in which writers can learn new things and gain self-confidence. Ultimately, all of this contributes to a writer who is not only great at creative writing but also great at writing in general; this may include emails, resumes, and even academic writing. Yet this may seem unlikely to some people. After all, one might ask how—for example—writing a story may be beneficial to students in college and the innumerable papers they are required to write. But the truth of the matter is that creative writing can indeed be helpful—and helpful in more ways than anyone could possibly imagine.
According to Patrick T. Randolph of
West Michigan University, creative writing has the potential to overall improve
a student’s writing abilities. Randolph
explains this after conducting his own research amongst his students when he says:
[…] [A]t my current institute, there is a writing assessment test given at the end of each eight-week term for all the students in the program. In order for the students of the intermediate level to move on, they need a four out of seven to pass. Before the creative writing program was instituted, the number of students who passed to the next level was lower than after I started the program. In general, 50% to 60% of the intermediate students would pass the writing assessment. After the first creative writing course started, the numbers improved dramatically. Currently, 80% to 85% of the students pass the writing assessment, and, in some cases, I have had terms where up to 90% of the level four students move up to level five. It was after this substantial change in the test scores that the administration of the institute decided to permanently keep the creative writing program for the intermediate level writing class (Randolph, 78-79).
Here, we
have an outstanding example of creative writing overall benefiting students;
without the creative writing program, fewer students passed—yet with it, those
numbers rose exponentially. Thus, it
appears that creative writing can be used to help students grow into stronger
writers; yet, why is this? Randolph
explores this question further when he says:
Neuro research has also recently […] discovered that fiction excites and stimulates the brain more than academic literature […] If this is true, then the use of creative writing, as a pedagogical tool, is the best way for ESL learners to acquire new vocabulary and sentence structures and to expand their command of the English essay (Randolph, 78).
Randolph brings up another excellent point in that fiction—not academic writing—is something that captivates students—and this ultimately gives them motivation. Therefore, as they continually write with determination, the skills they develop will eventually manifest in their other, non-creative writing. Randolph exemplifies this further in his own study when he says:
Another assessment element is that the readers of the writing assessment noted a better command of vocabulary and use of language among the creative writers as compared to the general academic writing classes. The creative writers started using more colorful vocabulary and taking more risks in their writing. For example, instead of using words like ‘nice,’ ‘beautiful, ‘difficult,’ and ‘good,’ they used vocabulary such as ‘delightful,’ ‘breathtaking,’ ‘arduous,’ and ‘embrace.’ Two simple sentences were more likely to be combined to form a compound sentence, and the writing, in general, possessed a richer sense of voice (Randolph, 79).
Subsequently, we may conclude from this that the creative writing program that many of Randolph’s students took had beneficial impacts on their writing skills. With this increased self-confidence, students would write in ways they normally wouldn’t—thus experimenting and pushing the boundaries of their abilities. In contrast, students who were only subjected to classes with academic writing were not nearly as creative in how they approached writing. Therefore, it becomes far more reasonable to believe that creative writing can in fact strengthen and improve a student’s academic writing and stylistic choices.
Furthermore, this opinion is echoed
by Dr. Maria Antoniou and Jessica Moriarty.
In their article entitled “What can academic writers learn from creative
writers?”, Antoniou and Moriarty argue the following:
In our experience,
writing in whatever style or genre is an emotional and identity-related
activity, as well as a technical, craft-based one. Writing is intricately
linked to a sense of Self (personal and professional), and is a way of
expressing that Self. Therefore, writing cannot only be taught in technical
terms. Any support and guidance for academic writing must address personal
experience and emotional processes (Antoniou and Moriarty, 166).
This statement brings up a very crucial component of writing: the writer him or herself. Indeed, writing is always an expression of one’s mind and thought process. And because of this, the authors argue that writing should be approached with this understanding. This is not to say that the technical and structural aspects of writing should be ignored; rather, Antoniou and Moriarty place emphasis on the personal elements of writing and believe that it is actually quite necessary to give writers more creative freedom, as this allows such self-expression to flourish. Moreover, allowing this will also encourage students (instead of discouraging them) to write their papers.
Undoubtedly, it is this freedom to
express the self that can motivate students to write—but how does it impact
their lives personally, as well as their overall attitudes? This is another crucial question that may
illustrate the larger impact of allowing creative writing and choices within
the classroom. Laura Bean of Berkley
University of California reflects upon this very question in her article
entitled “How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience.” By
discussing her own experiences with her past students, she is able to
demonstrate the effectiveness and positive changes she noticed within her
classroom. Additionally, by discussing
the science behind this as well, she is able to give an explanation as to why
her implementation of creative writing has been extremely successful. One particular part of her article touches on
these aspects when she says:
For students, sharing their own stories of bravery, resilience, and determination brings these qualities to the forefront of their minds and helps solidify the belief that underlies a growth mindset: I can improve and grow. We know from research in neuroplasticity that when students take baby steps to achieve a goal and take pride in their accomplishments, they change their brains, growing new neural networks and fortifying existing ones. Neurons in the brain release the feel-good chemical dopamine, which plays a major role in motivating behavior toward rewards. After writing about a few different personal topics, students choose one they want to publish on the bulletin boards at the back of the classroom. […] In my experience, students are motivated to do this assignment because it helps them feel that their personal stories and emotions truly matter, despite how their other academics are going (Bean).
Therefore, by granting her students the opportunity to share the work they create, she raises positive outlooks and a sense of inclusion and belonging within her classroom. Ultimately, this leads to greater confidence amongst her students and far greater enthusiasm. Perhaps many could learn from Bean’s example—and if schools began incorporating such practices within their curricula around the nation, the positive outcomes would be immeasurable.
After reviewing these examples of the benefits of creative writing and its contribution to academic success, students and instructors alike ought to feel encouraged to pursue these activities. Moreover, they might be surprised by the results—and perhaps by what they learn about themselves in the process.
Works Cited:
Antoniou, Maria, and
Jessica Moriarty. “What Can Academic Writers Learn from Creative Writers?
Developing Guidance and Support for Lecturers in Higher Education.” Teaching
in Higher Education, vol. 13, no. 2, 2008, pp. 157–167.,
https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510801923229.
Bean, Laura. “How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience.” Greater Good Magazine, 30 Oct. 2018, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_creative_writing_can_increase_students_resilience
Randolph,
T. Patrick. “Using Creative Writing as a Bridge to Enhance Academic
Writing.” Michigan Teachers of English to Speakers of
Other Languages
