Creative writing is recognized as a form of artistic expression that aims to inspire the imagination and infuse personality and flair into the work.

Unlike traditional technical writing styles, such as journalistic or academic writing, creative writing emphasizes imagination and innovation. It provides writers with a platform to express themselves, focusing on elements such as character development, narrative, and storylines. In creative writing, you can break free from conventional writing constraints and let your imagination soar.

There is a wide range of genres and styles you can specialize in, which we will explore in detail. Poetry, often perceived as an abstract and complex form of expression associated with the pretentious elite, can also be fun and accessible. In this three-week course, you will discover the enjoyment and value of writing your poetry.

What is the effect of rhythm and rhyme on a poem? Does it matter where we decide to start a new line? How do we make use of the power of lyrics? 

In the creative writing course, you’ll explore these questions and learn how to answer them with confidence.  You’ll cover topics such as the basics of poetry, lineation, creative writing, and lyric poetry to gain a comprehensive understanding of the techniques and theories used to shape a poem. 

The Healing Power of Creative Writing: Butler MFA Program’s Commitment to Wellness

In the past 10 years, medical professionals and clinicians have recognized the therapeutic value of creative writing. A discipline once practiced only in college classrooms with a singular goal of the publication in top-flight literary journals or academic presses, creative writing is now recognized as a tool for healing, maintaining wellness, and expressing the buried memories of trauma.

The Butler MFA program which was founded eight years ago with community service as one of its founding principles, has recognized the potential for healing and maintaining wellness and has taken Creative Writing for Wellness as part of its mission. The Butler MFA now prepares students to lead workshops in wellness among diverse communities. In the past two years, our MFA students have run writing classes with staff members at Eskenazi Hospital; with senior citizens at American Health Care Services; with troubled adolescents at Riley Children’s Hospital and Hope Academy, and soon with prison inmates. At this point, most of this work has been done on a strictly volunteer basis, but some pioneering MFA students have been paid to pilot and develop new partnerships.

The Butler MFA program is an institutional member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy. While our programs are not clinically therapeutic, we focus on coping skills, stress management, artistic engagement and enrichment, and community building.

Unlocking Creativity: The Healing Power of Writing

At Butler University, we embrace the concept of “Creative Writing for Wellness” within our MFA program. This initiative merges the power of artistic expression with community service, allowing our dedicated students to conduct workshops in varied settings, including hospitals, schools, and correctional facilities. 

Our goal is to foster creativity while providing participants with valuable coping skills and a sense of belonging. Through the written word, we empower individuals to express their thoughts and emotions, facilitating personal healing and community connection.

While our workshops are not clinically therapeutic, they serve as a vibrant platform for artistic engagement and enrichment. We believe in the restorative power of writing, showing how creativity can inspire and uplift.

Join us on this transformative journey of exploration and expression. Together, let’s harness the power of creative writing to not only enrich your own life but also make a positive impact on the lives of others. Your voice is important—let it be heard!

Embracing Expression: My Journey in Creative Writing for Wellness

I went to a creative writing for wellness workshop at a local library.

The leader of the workshop is Dominique Weldon. She was vibrant and amazing, never once making anyone feel unheard or unwanted during the workshop. She teaches at Butler University and is looking for more people to do creative writing workshops. For more information her email is [email protected]. 

During this workshop, I discovered that when talking to these strangers I felt like I could tell them whatever I wanted, and it didn’t matter. Of course, I didn’t go around telling them I was a mass murderer even though the idea was tempting. 

I was invited into a warm and welcoming zone where my creative side was fully embraced. I enjoyed being there, I was the only teenager there.

We talked about how it wasn’t just the new generation but also the generations before us that suffered during the pandemic. Sometimes we as people can be self-centered so when I heard about their personal experiences with social anxiety and how they also had to re-enter the world. I was shocked and slightly guilty.

Sitting in this class opened my eyes to how we need to do something good for our well-being; I would recommend writing for wellness. During my research for this column, I also discovered that there are multiple other websites for creative writing. 

https://writingandwellness.com/ is a website that gives you steps to grow a writing life you love. 

 Step 1: Establish a productive, consistent writing practice. This could be in the form of journaling, short stories, or poetry. 

Step 2: Discover your unique writing and marketing niche. 

Step 3: Find out if writing is right for your life. 

Here is a prompt for wellness poem 

I was born on a Saturday
In mid-December,
The same year that “Flower Drum Song” opened
On Broadway, and two years after
My sister had been born.
In those days, my father smoked a pipe.
My mother dyed her hair blonde.
We lived in Bensonhurst, in a five-room apartment
The landlord never gave us enough heat.
My grandmother lived across the hall.
She took the train to work every morning at 8 am.
People said my hair stood straight up.

Your Poem: 

I was born on a __________
In________________________
The same year___________
In those days, my father__
And my mother___________
We lived in________________
Where there were__________
And my (uncle, aunt, cousin, friend)
Everyone said______________