How I Use Writing as a Creative and Emotional Outlet and How You Can, Too!

Writing has always been a passion of mine, and over the years, it has become a very important part of my life. I have discovered that I can use recreational, creative writing as an outlet to explore nearly all my ideas and emotions. I wanted to share some of my experience with using writing as a personal outlet, alongside some tips on how every writer can best express themselves!

There are no rules in creative writing. In terms of content, the possibilities are limitless. Writing can be a great place to explore the unknown, whether “the unknown” is outer space or simply facing a fear. Since you’re in charge of what happens within the sphere of your writing, you get to decide what is and isn’t possible. I feel as though I’ve written pieces that fall just about everywhere on the spectrum of imagination. Some pieces are based off of actual events from my life, some use real emotional experiences in fictitious settings, and others still are crafted entirely from the wildest parts of my creative mind.

How imaginative you want to get with your writing is completely up to you. I usually find it easier to express myself through creativity, but some writers may prefer to write candidly about their own experiences.

When it comes to structure, there are countless different formats which writers can use. These include short stories, songwriting, poetry (in all its many forms), scripts, journal entries, and many more. Personally, I enjoy writing songs, poems, and scripts. Songwriting and poetry allow me to use imagery to create visually evocative writing, which is something that I love to do. Further, these forms of writing also allow me to get creative with metaphors by exploring personal emotions and experiences through imagined scenarios and settings. I love writing scripts–specifically theatre scripts–because they allow me to examine humanity and human nature through the creation of characters. I can use these characters to investigate real-world situations that I or those around me may have to face.

There is certainly a type of writing perfect for anyone looking for an outlet. If you are not interested in the traditional “storytelling” style of creative writing, poetry could be a good fit. I personally love poetry because it doesn’t require a beginning, middle, and end, but it can be just as effective a form of self-expression as any other form of writing.

Poetry can be a great “quick fix” if you have an idea or emotion that you want to get out, but you’re not ready to commit to a full story. I got into script writing because of my involvement with drama classes and extracurricular theatre. I have found that the characters I create in these scripts provide a great outlet for addressing my own thoughts and feelings. Writers looking for more of an emotional outlet rather than a creative one may enjoy keeping a personal journal. I love the creative side of writing and have never been able to consistently keep a day-to-day record of my life, but I can acknowledge that writing directly about your thoughts and feelings can be a great way to process them.

One of the great things about using writing as a channel of personal expression is that you get to decide if and how you share your work. Sometimes we need to write just for ourselves. Getting thoughts and feelings out of your mind and on to a page can be a fantastic way to address them, but a personal process.

Alternatively, the most creative and emotional pieces of writing are oftentimes some of the most powerful pieces, and others who have had similar experiences may truly connect to your writing. Sharing your work can help others to understand you better, and it may even inspire them to do some creative writing of their own!

Ultimately, if you’re using writing as an outlet, the rules are up to you. How you write, what you write about, and whether or not you share your writing, are all decisions that you get to make to help you best express yourself.