Information

Writing is an activity to make a record of something and also to write down a set of experiences about feelings or events. Writing can be associated with script, related to recording and documenting sources of information. According to the beginning of its history, writing was still done using drawings or what was called hieroglyphics, in which the letters represented words or objects in Ancient Egyptian times. Meanwhile, the Sumerians (Iraq) created symbols on clay, which were thought to represent certain sounds.  However, going back about 5000 years ago, writing with a script was introduced.

Writing usually involves the use of materials or means to the act of writing, generally by using paper media, stationery, such as pencils and pens. Ever since the development of technology, writing can be published into a literature work with the emergence of publishing companies, thus leading to a continuous development of literature works as well as information sharing. For example, we can get information from an essay easily by looking up the reference sources online, and thus the information we need will be easily obtained.

The act of communication can also be done through writing, both in the form of communicating with others as well as communicating with oneself. As a means of writing to communicate with others, obviously it is done by writing messages through letters, or via short messages or through writings that aim to educate others, either through articles, books, online media and many more. However, what is meant by communicating with oneself is that writing can be a means of expression and therapy for oneself.  This is in accordance with the benefits of writing; it can be used as means of earnings. It is also beneficial for health, especially mental health, by providing inspiration and writing as a means of recording information and history. Based on the benefits of writing, one of which is related to the benefits in mental health, writing can be used as a means to express moods, as a media for therapy as well as to release emotions. Writing can also be a bridge of life experience information that we can take lessons from later, a reminder of life lessons or can also be a life lesson for others.

Through his work titled “Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion”, Dr. James W Pennebaker, a psychologist and linguist, who pioneered psychiatric therapy by writing states that if you are experiencing problems, start writing little by little, word by word. To reduce the depression that hold down your soul, just write down anything you can. Writing down negative things will provide an emotional release that can generate feelings of satisfaction and relief. In terms of mental health, research shows that those who write down their innermost thoughts and feelings about their traumatic experiences will show an increase in their immunity system compared to those who only write down trivial problems. If we look closely, many of the stories that are written down in diaries or the likes are eventually recorded and many people can learn from them, for example a book about the journey of success of a person in which its main source perhaps only from scribbling stories from his diary.

Some activities to get us used to writing include writing down life experiences in a diary or Self Journaling, as well as by utilizing technological facilities, such as using social media to share experiences. For instance, during the covid 19 pandemic, many people were confined at their home and thus resulting in problems with partners, parents, and/or children, and worse, with themselves. During the pandemic, many writing communities were established to gather and improve literacy habits by writing. Many did writing therapy to build self-love and also as a means to increase self-esteem and get recognition of their abilities in the writing community. The community is not for a group of professionals in the field of writing. It is actually, a group of people who have similar problems, sharing stories in the form of writing, which is not uncommon to have their work finally published in a book that is marketed to a limited audience.

Pennebaker said that writing gives many advantages. Writing can clear our minds, overcome trauma, providing us with information to help us cope with the stress and anxiety of life. Currently, there are many means of writing for “Healing” purpose, for us to open up and as an outlet for our feelings that we kept to ourselves, and thus we can get our own “insight” through free writing which is currently widely spread through anthology writing communities, which contains experiences from the author’s true story, which ultimately forces writers to be able to write their story.

Life writing is a therapeutic writing activity. The goal is to release pressure and at the same time to please and enlighten the soul that is in darkness. In this case, the rules of writing theory are not overly emphasized. Likewise, the form of writing can be fiction or nonfiction, even a combination of both doesn’t matter. Pennebaker emphasizes, “The important thing is to write honestly and openly about your deepest feelings. If that doesn’t work, record it with a tape recorder or video camera. Then, play it and write little by little. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, or expect to get anything right. Just write – that’s all!”

There was a story about a Scottish named John Mulligan, a Vietnam war veteran who was severely physically and psychologically traumatized upon his return from Vietnam, who did life-writing as therapeutic so brilliantly. Not only was he able to overcome his depression, but he was also able to write a best-selling novel with high literary value. His 1997 novel Shopping Cart Soldier, based on a true story of the Vietnam war, turned him into a senseless, soulless killer. Not only did he kill thousands of people, but also buffaloes, both of which were innocent. The novel tells harrowing experiences of a soldier while serving on the front lines of the Vietnam war. After he became a veteran, he turned into a severely depressed man. He became an alcoholic and homeless for 10 years living on the streets of San Francisco. He found peace within himself after attending a life-writing as therapeutic workshop mentored by Maxine Hong Kingston, a renowned author and linguist in the US.  “The act of writing really made him cheerful again, whistling, jumping up and down, because the writing process made his mind clear and ignited his enthusiasm for life.” This tale illustrates that by writing, we can maintain and restore our mental health, and reward ourselves when those writings turn into a work of art. At least with the writings we make can make ourselves remember the events that have happened, perhaps those events are painful to remember, but when time passes our writings can bring a laugh to us or to be a reminder of how strong we are to face these conditions.

Daftar Pustaka

Pranoto, N. (2015). Writing for Therapy. Jakarta: Pustaka Obor
Rachmat, H. (2019). Mendobrak Keraguan Menulis. Global Media Publikasi.
Simamarta, J (2019). Kita Menulis: Semua Bisa Menulis Buku. Medan: Yayasan Kita
Suhendi (2014). Cara dahsyat menulis artikel. Bekasi : Gramata Publishing

Written by Warda Lisa