Welcome to Travel Write Change and my little corner of the world wide writing space.

“Write to find out what you know.”

Hilary Mantel

Creative writing is not just about writing stories and novels. Hilary Mantel was on to something when she said “Write to find out what you know.” In fact, getting creative through personal development writing can bring many benefits.

From reflecting on your process to sparking off ideas you might not otherwise have considered, writing can be fun, cathartic and illuminating. Not only can it enable you to draw on your inner wisdom to find out what you know, but it can also help you discover more about about yourself and your creativity.

So, whether you want to get on with a project that’s been on the back burner for far too long, you know you want to do something different, but you don’t know what, or you love writing for the sake of writing, grab a notebook and your favourite pen and join me on the journey.

Hola!

Hi, I’m Rebecca, a teacher, coach and writer based in Spain.

It’s not always easy to describe Creative Writing for Personal Development, so I thought I’d let some of the people who have been on my courses tell you about their experience:

“The way Rebecca led us by easing us gradually into the writing really allows you to access wisdom that you have inside that you did not realise you have. It’s quite astonishing the things that appear on paper. It feels that they are coming from a deeper level.”
Maryia Semianchova, Yoga Instructor, December 2022

What is Creative Writing for Personal Development?

Personal development writing can take many forms including free flow journaling, writing from prompts, story-telling or poetry. Sometimes it leads you on an unexpected journey or, you might morph from what appears to be a few random scribbles, to asking yourself ‘where did that come from?’

It can be used for therapeutic purposes and generally has a positive effect on our wellbeing. Most of the activities you’ll see here focus on learning to trust and enjoy the process, getting into flow and creating space to tap into new ideas.

How did I start?

In 2018 I started running Writing for Wellbeing courses as a volunteer with a counselling agency. I noticed that the participants often came because of their interest in creative writing. They wanted to be more creative, overcome barriers to writing and gain confidence, so I incorporated more coaching techniques to see what would happen.

Shortly after, I began to run similar courses for the Community Learning department at South Gloucestershire Council and deliver workshops at retreats.

The power of the group

“I love that Rebecca encouraged each class members to have a constructive exchange of ideas with every topic and every workshop session.” (Participant on a Community Learning course, 2020)

I started tapping into the power of the group, exploring how guided reflection through writing allowed people to connect at a deeper level, along with the potential for developing creative thinking, expanding our ideas and uncovering insights.

Attendees told me they were learning more about themselves and their creativity. As a group, we saw how these connections stimulated insights, drawing out answers that were there all along. Participants reported “accessing wisdom that you have inside that you did not realise you have“. 

Knowing that this wisdom was their own and allowing it to surface, meant writers could take ownership which, in turn, led to an inner confidence that enabled the group to free themselves up to write with ever increasing ease. Getting into flow turned out to be easier than they had anticipated.

Hilary Smith is the co-author of Relationship-Based Pedagogy in Primary Schools: Learning with Love. She has been published in various magazines including All Your Stories and regularly reads her stories at Novel Nights and Fresh Fiction Nights at South Pemberton. Her current writing project is a collection of short stories based on her memoirs.

Be your own coach

So, how do you reach these a-ha moments that empower you to formulate new creative combinations and inspire you to move forward confidently with your projects?

I had high hopes for Rebecca’s Creative Writing for Wellbeing course when I signed up, and it has far exceeded my expectations. Rebecca’s skilful tutoring has lulled me into situations where words and ideas have flowed surprisingly easily. The exercises we’ve explored are all new to me, and I’ve been amazed at how productive they have been.

Rebecca uses a wide range of techniques not just to inspire you, but to draw out ideas, thoughts and ways of working that you didn’t know you could do. This boosted our confidence. Her activities meant that not only can you make writing a priority but also you feel that you can do it.

I was hesitant at the prospect of sharing my writing with others, but Rebecca created such a safe and supportive environment that in the event, sharing felt remarkably natural. It has been valuable too, to see how others respond to the same writing challenges, and to understand and learn from their thought processes.

Rebecca has been brilliant at dangling opportunities to write beyond the course – I took part in the World Cancer Day letter writing workshop and I’m starting to shape an idea for the Stroud Short Stories competition. It’s been fun to start flexing writing muscles for different challenges.

Claire Jaggard, BBC Radio Journalist and Marketing Specialist, 2021

Claire went on to win the Stroud Short Story competition in 2021. She has published her short stories in various magazines and is currently writing a cosy crime novel. Click here to see her work Claire Jaggard

Through this blog, I aim to share how writing can serve you as your own creative life coach. I also share a little about life in Andalusia as part of a holistic approach. For me, writing is not always a linear activity with a specific outcome; it’s part of a much wider learning process.

“I feel I learned some things about my own creativity and managed to get a story I have had in my head onto paper, that’s been there for 20 years which was one of my course objectives. I liked the group and going into breakout rooms for more intimate discussion as well as the whole group learning. I have continued to write a bit everyday and it’s so good for my well being and emotional management. A real life changer. Thank you Rebecca.”

Participant on a Community Learning course, 2021

I’m thrilled you’ve landed here. If you find any of the posts make a difference to the way you approach your daily activities, writing workshops or coaching practice, let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

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Retreats

If you’d like to contact me to register interest in attending a retreat, just drop me a line at travelwritechange @ gmail.com