Creative expression
Emotional healing
Stress reduction
Healthy escape
Self-discovery
Lasting legacy
This and much more is what writing can be. Be it journaling or writing a novel, memoir or historical non-fiction, writing by hand or computer can take you into new, fun, imaginative, reflecting and revealing places in your heart and head.
And yes, this includes older adults.“But do you know how old I will be by the time I (fill in the blank)?” is a question creative artist extraordinaire Julia Cameron hears all the time, to which she replies “Yes… the same age you will be if you don’t.”
So let’s write.
Here are 3 writing projects to consider.
If you’ve been dreaming about writing your Great American novel this month is a GREAT time to begin. For 25 years November has been dubbed National Novel Writing Month “a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days.”
And, good news, you don’t have to go it alone if you don’t want to. Many libraries, bookstores and the like are offering meet-ups and other events, plus the NaNoWrMo site offers lots of resources including virtual ones.
That said, you can turn Novel Writing Month into whatever genre you want.
Maybe a local historical event has always fascinated you. Writing is a way to give your curiosity stature, which means you can start the conversation with the reference librarian or key player: “I want to learn more about (fill in the blank) because I’m considering writing a book about it.”
Ditto for a biography of someone who has never gotten the attention they deserve.
As you mull over ideas, be it non-fiction or fiction, think about what type of research suits you. Sonia Purnell had to dig deep into government documents from several countries for her book “A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II.”
Maybe hanging out with people is more your jam. If so, make sure your book involves a topic that involves people currently alive.
This fall a group of Kendal residents are exploring literary journalism, also called narrative nonfiction, in a workshop with Hal Sundt, Senior Lecturer of Writing and Communication at Oberlin College. Who knows what book(s) might surface!
Memoir writing has become a popular genre, and is being written by not just famous or noteworthy people. With the access and affordability of self-publishing, many people are writing their life stories to pass onto family and friends.
Another way to write a memoir is to buy a subscription to a company such as Storyworth, which provides a year’s worth of writing prompts and complies them and submitted photos into a book.
But memoir writing doesn’t have to be turned into a book. Maybe there is one memorable experience you want to pass onto future generations, such as serving in the military or traveling alone through Europe. Your family has probably heard snippets of your experience, but unless you write it down it might not be passed on.
Here are some memoir-writing tips from MasterClass, also a good source for all kinds of writing.
Keeping a journal is popular with people of all ages and backgrounds. Some people start writing a journal to ease their grief or illness, others keep a gratitude journal, while others turn to the blank page to process their passage through life.
And buying a journal is a process in itself, with notebooks of all shapes, design and prompts to choose from. (Ditto for writing utensils.) Of course, digital journals are also on the market, so no wonder journaling is ubiquitous.
Writes Hayley Phelan in The New York Times:
“Once the domain of teenage girls and the literati, journaling has become a hallmark of the so-called self-care movement, right up there with meditation. And for good reason: Scientific studies have shown it to be essentially a panacea for modern life. There are the obvious benefits, like a boost in mindfulness, memory and communication skills. But studies have also found that writing in a journal can lead to better sleep, a stronger immune system, more self-confidence and a higher I.Q.”