The above paper on expressive writing was published by Springer, 2024, 28 pages.

Expressive writing is known to be therapeutic. It is a specific way of writing where you transfer your deepest feelings down on paper. Pennebaker (1997) found that it is an effective way to deal with trauma. According to Pennebaker and Evans (2014), a traumatic experience is worse for those who kept the experience a secret. Not talking about it placed them at a higher risk for illness compared to those who disclosed it. However, there is often an inability to find a language to express emotions, and the outcome is associated with certain chronic conditions.

Pennebaker mentioned that the problem with discussing it is that the person doing the talking does not know how the other person is going to react. The listener’s feedback can be negative. The speaker may also pick up disapproval when the listener displays it subtly, and that would be a signal to hold back sensitive information. Also, speaking is a process of putting together thoughts and words at a quicker rate. Writing is a slower process. It transcribes each topic. The writer attempts to give structure to thoughts and words (Moran, 2013).

When you write fiction, you simulate conditions that represent expressive writing. When you are writing a scene where the protagonist encounters difficulties or fails to achieve a goal, you are writing about your failure. You are writing about your problems under the guise of fiction. No one knows that the tragedy happened to you. You would tend to disclose the trauma more readily. The writing provides an outlet for your pent-up emotions.