by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: June 10, 2009

The benefits of creative writing on one's mind are numerous, extend well beyond the obvious and apply to both the long and the short term. There are of course those who mock creative writing and believe it to be a worthless pastime, unworthy of recognition never mind financial reward, but creative writers get far more from their craft than those individuals could ever imagine.

The escapism achieved from creative writing is a factor most often attributed to the readers of same, rather than those who produce it. There are people all over the world who know no better way to relax than to immerse themselves in a good book and allow the writer to transport them to a make-believe land of horror, romance or spy-fiction, to name but three. This allows the reader to detach themselves from the trials and tribulations of their daily lives and essentially recharge their drained batteries.

The escapism value of creative writing, however, is something which is also experienced by the creative writer. It is the writer who creates these make-believe worlds and who visits them in the first instance, shaping them and preparing them for the subsequent visit of their readers as a host would his home. This not only allows the writer escapism, of course, it stimulates their creative juices and exercises their mental powers. It is an excellent means of keeping the writer's mind focused and encouraging it to function in this capacity.

Another benefit of creative writing on one's mind is that it encourages lateral thinking and forces the writer to broaden their horizons away from what may very well be their otherwise strictly focused view of everyday life. It necessitates that the writer think, "What would happen if?" as opposed to, "What will happen when?" This helps the mind of the creative writer to view everyday challenges in a similar fashion and find innovative solutions where they may have been incapable of doing so before.

Creative writing can even help the writer be more understanding of the world around them in the sense that they are more likely to be inquisitive as to why certain events occurred or why certain people took the actions which they did. This is because the creative writer necessarily has to justify those events which occur in their writing and those actions which are taken or perceived to be taken by their characters.

Creative writing can hopefully therefore be seen as a means of focusing one's mind, disciplining one's mind and educating one's mind, as well as hosting a whole host of other sundry benefits besides.

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