Turning Inward Versus Turning Outward: A Retrospective Study of the Childhoods of Creative Writers Versus Journalists

Abstract

Twelve creative writers and 10 journalists were interviewed about their childhoods to explore the kinds of early indicators that may be associated with later involvement in writing as a career. Information was gathered about cognitive, socioemotional, and family factors. Cognitive factors reported by both kinds of writers included an early fascination with language and a positive attitude toward schooling. Cognitive factors also differentiated the 2 groups: the creative writers recalled an early fascination with aesthetic aspects of language and with fiction; the journalists recalled a fascination with multilingualism and the sociopolitical sphere—that is, reality, not fiction. Socioemotional factors reported by both kinds of writers included feeling different from others as children: the creative writers recalled having interests differing from those of other children; some journalists felt different because their parents were outcasts. Both groups reported solitary, introverted childhoods and yet both groups also reported having friends as children. Family factors differentiated these 2 groups: journalists recalled child-centered families; creative writers recalled turbulent, stress-filled families, much like those reported by other kinds of highly creative adults. It is concluded that cognitive and family factors differentiate 2 kinds of children with high verbal ability—those who "turn inward" to write fiction or poetry versus those who "turn outward" to report actual events.