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MEMO
To: Brother Finch
From: Reese Grein
Date: 07 October 2017
Subject: Research Proposal Creative Benefits

Purpose
Creative writers have a great influence over the rising generation and the ideas of the general
populace. Stories have the ability to lift others and help generate an increased cognitive process.
I hope to show that creative writers can influence the younger generation not only with their
stories, but with influencing the youth to write. Some questions I wish to explore are as follows:

How does writing creatively influence the developing brain?

How can creative writing help those with mental illnesses?
How can creative writers do more to influence the rising generation?

Background
When I was a ten year old I was in a special class for English. I couldnt read and retain
information in anything more than twenty pages. I struggled in all aspects of school. One year
later I didnt show much improvement until I fell and broke my right arm. My broken arm
prevented me from my normal activities: playing outside and video games. Eventually my
mother took me to the library. The following year I read over 200 books. My entire life changed
because of books. I myself have dealt with depression and have felt the difference that creative
writing has made in my life. It has helped me to become a more positive person and a better
student.
Book and stories can influence children to dream bigger. They can help the cognitive process of
the childs developing brain. This can help the children to do better in school and be more
productive in their lives. Creative writers can do more to spread their passion for writing by
helping to raise a new generation of writers.

Significance
This topic is very important because the answer to these questions can help people to pursue new
and better pathways in their development in life. I have felt that I can help people with their
mental illness issues and I would like to explore if this would be a good way to go about doing
that. I believe it is an important thing for every aspiring writer to consider, not this specific about
mental illness but what good they can do as writers. I think it is seen as a selfish career too often
and I would like to demonstrate that at its core, writing and teaching writing is selfless.
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Working Thesis:
Description
I will focus a lot of my research on how psychological and cognitive studies. I would like to
research using psychology books from the library as well as academic journals outlining studies
that professionals have conducted.

Outline
Working Thesis: Creative writing can be an effective tool in developing the younger generation;
it can serve this purpose by helping to overcome mental illness and by cultivating superior
cognitive process.

Introduction: A brief Opposing views: Creative

background on the problems My position: By learning and writing is a waste of time and
children face today. being influenced by creative can actually make things
Questions posed. Thesis writing children can live worse. It can lead to worse
(solution) happier lives. mental illness.

Response: Being afraid

something might happen, is
Conclusion: Restate thesis.
foolishness. The chance to help
And restate points.Brief
even one person is worth the
furthing of the importance of
effort. With close monitoring if a
creative writing.
condition worsens it can be
stopped immediately.

Problems
I expect there to be problems with finding studies that show conclusively this is an effective
method. I also think it might be difficult to secure an interview with someone who might have
experience with creative writing and mental illness.
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Annotated Bibliography
Dingle, Genevieve A., et al. "Choir Singing and Creative Writing Enhance Emotion Regulation
in Adults with Chronic Mental Health Conditions." British Journal of Clinical
Psychology 56.4 (2017): 443-57.
This journal article details how singing and creative writing can help to regulate
emotions.

Dobson, Tom. "The Mad Genie in the Attic: Performances of Identity in Year 6 Boys' Creative
Writing." Gender & Education 27.1 (2015): 37-52.
This journal article shows how creative writing can help discover what personal
identity traits young children have.

Doenges, Judy. A Child of Letters. 61 Vol. , 2007.

This is an in-depth look at the writings of a family member of the author who
committed suicide and how writing played a part in his life.

Edmunds, Alan L., and Gail Edmunds. "The Sensitivity of Precocious Child Writers: More
Evidence of the Double-Edged Sword." Roeper Review 36.3 (2014): 178-89.

Fair, Cynthia D., et al. "Im Positive, I have Something to Say: Assessing the Impact of a
Creative Writing Group for Adolescents Living with HIV." The Arts in Psychotherapy 39
(2012): 383-9.
This article shows the effects of creative writing on those who have HIV, can be
applied to those with terminal illness.

Kaufman, James C. "The Door that Leads into Madness:Eastern European Poets and Mental
Illness." Creativity Research Journal 17.1 (2005): 99-103.
This article will be used as a source of opposition. It details how writing can lead to
mental illness.

King, Robert, Philip Neilsen, and Emma White. "Creative Writing in Recovery from Severe
Mental Illness." International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 22.5 (2013): 444-52.
This article shows how severe mental illness can be treated by using creative writing.

PERT, REBECCA. ""There is no Map and there is no Road": Theorising Best Practice in the
Provision of Creative Writing Therapy." American, British & Canadian Studies 20.1 (2013):
160.
This article shows how different approaches to treating mental illness with creative
writing can be applied.

Prescott, Lynda. "Life Writing and Life-Learning: An Analysis of Creative Writing Students'
Work." Studies in Continuing Education 34.2 (2012): 145-57.
This article studies the effect creative writing has on young children.
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Pytash, Kristine E. "Composing Screenplays: Youth in Detention Centers as Creative Meaning-

Makers." English Journal 105.5 (2016): 53-60.
This article is a story about youth how have made mistakes can be helped by learning
creative writing.
Sahbaz, Namik Kemal, and Gozde Duran. "The Efficiency of Cluster Method in Improving the
Creative Writing Skill of 6th Grade Students of Primary School." Educational Research and
Reviews 6.11 (2011): 702-9.
This article is a study resulting in creative writing being more effective then academic
writing to improve childrens tests scores.

Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Oct 9: Oct 10: Oct 11: Oct 14: Peer

Read Review Begin rough draft review and
through evidence rough draft
articles make outline due
Oct 16: Oct 18: Oct 20: Oct 21:
Edit paper Research again Have Final paper
and make paper due
adjustments done

Request for approval

This topic is something that is of extreme interest to me. I have been considering switching my
major to psychology because I have a desire to help people overcome issues I have experienced
in my life. I believe that this topic can be extremely helpful to others who are aspiring to be
creative writers. Please allow me to pursue this topic.