by Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D.
Write for Self-Discovery
Below is part of a journal written in the last century. As you read, decide why the author wrote the entry:
May 31, 1889
I think that if I get into the habit of writing a bit about what happens, or rather doesn’t happen, I may lose a little of the sense of loneliness and desolation which abides with me. My circumstances allowing of nothing by the ejaculations of one-syllabled reflections, a written monologue by that most interesting being, myself, may have its yet to be discovered consolations. I shall at least have it all my own way and it may bring relief as an outlet to that geyser of emotions, sensations, speculations and reflections which ferments perpetually within my poor old carcass for its sins; so here goes! — Alice James
Self-discovery is one of the most beneficial ways to spend our time, because understanding who we are can help us get where we want to be. Alice James knew how to use writing to look inward. The sister of a world-famous writer (Henry James) and a world-famous writer-psychologist (William James), Alice had an especially hard time carving out a niche out for herself in the world.
When you write to understand more about yourself, you can make the most of your talents and opportunities. As you write for self-discovery, try these suggestions:
- Start by looking inside yourself and probing your feelings as Alice James did. As you write, you can ask yourself questions such as “How do I feel?” “What makes me feel this way?” “Why did I take this action?” and “How will I feel about this action in the future?”
- Or, you might try to make discoveries about yourself by looking through the eyes of others. In this case, ask yourself questions such as “How have my parents shaped me?” “How did this experience help me do something I might not ordinarily have done?”
- You might also look for parallels between what you see in the world around you and how you perceive yourself. You can contrast your father’s or mother’s character to you own, for instance, or consider how the cycles of nature impact your behavior.
You might have been using writing as a voyage of creative self-discovery for quite some time — or you might have decided that an unexplored life is indeed worth living. It’s natural for us to swing from one extreme to the other as we mature.
Write for Healing
How do you think writing this diary entry might help the author resolve some key issues in his or her life?
I finally put two and two together. I had buried myself under so many protective layers that it took three months to even cry about it. Crying comes more easily now, though. I have had to stop three or four times while writing this. My emotions are raw, but I think that is for the best. Feeling bad now is better than 22 years of feeling nothing. — Anonymous
Writing can help you work through a crisis. Julia Cameron, a writer who is also the former wife of movie director Martin Scorese, started using writing as a healing tool after she suffered some great disappointments. “I very rapidly saw that [the pages] washed away my bitterness, introduced new characters, and seemed to give me a healthier set of priorities,” she noted in her book Artist’s Way.
Venting your emotions through writing carries a great bonus, too: as you heal, you often tap your hidden creativity. Later, we’ll look more deeply into this use of creative writing. I’ll teach you some ways to make this method work for you.
Write for Future Generations
What events have had a strong impact on you? The following passage describes a terrifying event that the writer witnessed. What purpose do you think his account serves for contemporary readers?
This was a mournful scene indeed, and affected me almost as much as the rest; but the other was awful and full of terror. The cart had upon it sixteen or seventeen bodies; some were wrapped up in linen sheets, some in rags, some little other than naked, or so loose that what covering they had fell from them in the shooting out of the cart, and they fell quite naked among the rest; but the matter was not much to them, or the indecency much to anyone else, seeing they were all dead, and were to be huddled together into the common grave of mankind, as we may call it, for here was no difference made, but poor and rich went together; there was no other way of burials, neither was it possible there should, for coffins were not to be had for the prodigious numbers that fell in such a calamity as this. — from A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe (1660-1731)
Have you witnessed an event that you know will become a part of history? The event might touch many lives, such as President Kennedy’s assassination, Nixon’s resignation, or the millennium celebrations. Such was the case with the terrible outbreak of plague that Defoe recorded in his Journal. All told, more than 1,000 people died in his small town alone. Defoe knew that he was seeing history and his writing ended up preserving history.
But the event that touches your heart might be private rather than public. Perhaps you want to record your child’s first steps, your arrival in this country, or your recovery from an illness. These seemingly small events become part of the larger fabric of history as much as the bigger events. For example, the journals, letters, and diaries of the pioneers help modern readers understand the triumphs and tragedies of trailblazer life a century ago.
The wish to record a memory, to leave a legacy for future generations, is one of the most common ways people express their creativity in writing. This is no accident: creative writers need to have memories and writing helps save these memories from loss. By passing on our memories in writing, we are actively preserving and creating as we bring order to our lives.
Writing for the future can take many forms. Here are some of the most common ones:
- letters
- postcards
- diaries
- memoirs
- history books
- email (be sure to print them out!)
- journals
- chronicles
- logs
- articles
Later in this article you’ll learn how to record your impressions for future generations.
Part I - What Is Creative Writing?
Part II - Write for Self-Discovery
Part III - Write for Knowledge >>>
Part IV - Write to Evaluate Something
