The Emotional Benefits of Writing for Working Moms

In April 2020, I was stressed about the fate of the world (who wasn’t??), and I needed some kind of outlet to distract me from all my doom-scrolling. 

I’d always been a writer, but I struggled to finish anything, and I’d barely ever shared my writing with others. That spring of 2020, I decided that I’d had enough of hoping that I could have a published book one day, and I was going to actually make it happen. I wanted to write something that brought me joy at a time when the world felt so dark, and I wanted to create something that would bring joy to other people, too.

Writing Auctions & Alibis, while one of the hardest things I’ve done in life, also did so much for soothing me at a time when my stress levels were at an all-time high. I had something to focus on outside of work, and I built up a community of writers around myself through writing this book. 

I’m not the only one who has benefited emotionally from creative writing. In fact, there’s quite a bit of research out there, drawing a line between mental wellbeing and creativity. 

In 2023, a poll from the American Psychiatric Association found that “...half (46%) of Americans use creative activities to relieve stress or anxiety, such as playing the piano, crocheting a blanket, dancing with friends or solving crossword puzzles.” Additionally, those who reported very good or excellent mental health also engaged in creative activities more frequently than those that reported good, fair, or poor mental health. 

Another study from 2021 found a “statistically significant” and positive relationship between subjective well-being (meaning an individual’s evaluation of their life) and self-perceived creativity. Plus, a 2021 article in the Harvard Business Review described how expressive writing (essentially freewriting about any challenging or dramatic moment and the thoughts, feelings, and phrases that come up about the situation) “can result in a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression; improve our sleep and performance; and bring us greater focus and clarity.” 

I posed this question to my Substack recently:

(You don’t follow me on Substack?? We need to change that, immediately! Come say hello HERE!)

I got several responses that aligned with the research and my own personal experiences: 

Arya Voss: “Writing is how I don’t explode. Or get fired. Or both. Lol.”

JA Sauvageau: “Writing has meant many different things to me through the years. Notably, in times of loneliness, journaling has been a constant companion. In times of terror, poetry and essay have been a way for me to work out what I’m feeling and why I’m feeling that way.”

Helen Redfern: “Writing helped me discover who I was after struggling with my identity when I had my first child.”

Shaun Chavis: “I grew up an Army brat before there was an internet or Facebook or mobile phones… books were my friends. Later I started writing stories for myself and my younger sisters. Writing let me create friends and worlds when I had no control of when and where my family moved, and I felt like I lost my friends every three years.”

Ramya Vivekanandan: “Writing is how I unravel and process them. Being able to name the thing, as it were.”

Maybe you’re thinking this sounds great, but you just don’t have the time to start or maintain a creative practice—you don’t need to spend hours of time writing to see the benefits. Even 10 minutes a day of working on your novel can have ripple effects for the rest of your life.

Or maybe you don’t think you’re a creative person, so it seems silly to even try—all of us start out as creative as kids, but over time slowly lose that trait. But just because you aren’t creative anymore, doesn't mean you can’t tap back into that youthful creativity.

Think about what you loved to do as a kid—can you find a way to bring that back into your life now? Painting, drawing, telling stories…start small, and build the habit. 

Writing can give you space to let out all of your thoughts and feelings that you’re holding inside. It’s a place to create the kind of world you want to live in, and then one day share that imaginary world with others and connect with readers through your writing. 

If you're drawn to writing a novel, it means you’re meant to write one, and as moms, it’s so important for us to have our own passions outside of our families. That’s one of the main reasons I started my coaching program—I wanted to help other moms like me who have felt lost in motherhood and are yearning to regain their sense of identity.

When you work with me as your coach, you make a commitment to that creative part of yourself, and you bring to life the dream of the little girl inside you who always loved books but never thought she could be a writer herself. 

I’d love to support you as you write your book—schedule a free consultation call to get a 3-part plan for how I will be able to help you finish the novel of your dreams.