The experience and significance of sharing creative writing associated with times of personal difficulty

There is limited research concerning the sharing of writing associated with times of personal difficulty. This study aimed to explore the experience and significance of this process with a focus on the interpersonal factors involved and how the potential benefits could be conceptualised. Eight participants were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed regarding their experiences. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. Four superordinate themes of ‘Putting the self into the world’; ‘Taking ownership of the process’; ‘Making connections with others’; and ‘Moving beyond surviving to thriving’ were interpreted from the data. Interpersonal factors were of great significance and were discussed in connection with a range of theorists including those from fields of psychoanalysis, phenomenology and humanism. The overall findings were conceptualised through identified links with Ryff’s (1989) multidimensional model of well-being. The findings suggest that the sharing of creative writing associated with times of personal difficulty may be a valuable activity in promoting well-being in both clinical and non-clinical populations. It may be particularly helpful for people who have experienced, or are at risk of social isolation given the experiences that first led the participants to creative writing, and the centrality of ‘connection within others’ within their accounts.