M4CW Study | Mindful Writing | Mindfulness for Creative Writers

Expressions of interest have closed. This description is for information only, and not an invitation to participate.

(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes)

6-Week Course: Mindfulness for Creative Writers

Tuesday nights: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, 4 February – 11 March 2020

Focus group: 7:00 pm - 8:15pm, 17 March 2020

Location: Near Melbourne University

In December 2019 and January 2020, writers were invited to express interest in the Mindfulness for Creative Writers course and research project. The course was aimed at practicing creative writers. It explored ways that mindfulness approaches and frameworks might gently nurture a space for creative writing.

The course covered:

formal mindfulness meditation
informal mindfulness in daily life
mindful writing practice
strategies to maintain a daily meditation practice
frameworks for approaching emotional experiences in relation to creative writing practice.

The purpose of the research was to explore participants’ experiences in relation to the course, including potential impacts on their approach to creative writing practice and mindfulness, and to evaluate the course. Results from this study might aid individual writers, and educators and researchers in the arts, contemplative education and mindfulness.

The project is being conducted by Rosey Chang, as part of her PhD research program in the Faculty of Arts, under the supervision of Dr. Janette Simmonds at Monash University.

The study will took up to 12 hours in addition to the course. Participants engaged in daily meditation practice at home (30 min); completed 9 diary entries (up to 30 min each); filled in one demographic survey
(15 min); filled in 4 short mindfulness surveys (20 min total); and attended one focus group (60-75 min).

As a token of thanks, participants received a $30 book voucher for completing all activities to the end of March 2020. They will receive an additional $10 book voucher for completing and returning a follow-up diary entry and short questionnaire in March 2021.

This project was open to creative writers, including those who have or have not been published, and to people with or without experience with mindfulness. Writers from diverse backgrounds were warmly invited to express interest. The venue was wheelchair accessible and within 20 meters of the Melbourne University, Swanston Street tram stop number one.

This is a long-term project, and I will post updates.