Workshop: Clarifying Your Writing Values

In any creative practice, it's important to know what matters. With this information, you create the foundation for every decision you make.

But what if you have yet to truly crystalize this into a tangible statement?

Well, don't worry, I've got you covered. The workshop below will guide you through exercises designed to identify core values and construct YOUR personal writing values statement.

Workshop Overview

Focus: Define creative priorities and establish a clear understanding of what human creativity means to each participant.

Time Required: Approximately 30-60 minutes

Materials Needed: Notebook or digital document for writing

Outcome: A personal writing values statement

Activity 1: Value Mapping Exercise

Start by looking back at moments in your recent work that genuinely satisfied you. Think about writing that felt complete when you finished it. There was a sense of internal certainty, a calm recognition that the piece had landed where it needed to.

Choose three pieces that gave you that feeling.

Spend time with each one. What made it matter to you? Notice what is present on the page. The honesty of the voice. The way the sentences progress. The choices around language, subject, structure, or tone. Write down everything that stands out, even the details that feel hard to name.

Next, turn to work by other writers that has stayed with you. Select three pieces that you return to, or think about often. What do they share? What creates the pull to read them again?

Finally, place both lists side by side. Look for repetition. Circle the qualities that appear in both places. These shared traits point toward the values that shape your relationship with writing.

Activity 2: Journaling Prompts

Complete each prompt in five-minute intervals. Write without editing or censoring!

Prompt 1: "I feel most alive as a writer when..."

Prompt 2: "The kind of writing I want to create is writing that..."

Prompt 3: "If I could only write about one thing for the rest of my life, and nobody would ever read it, I would write about..."

Prompt 4: "When I read my own writing years from now, I want to feel..."

Activity 3: Building Your Writing Values Statement

Review all material from the previous exercises. Extract three to five core values that appear repeatedly. These might include: authenticity, experimentation, connection, precision, playfulness, truth-telling, beauty, provocation, comfort, adventure, clarity, risk-taking, intimacy, or something entirely uniquely to you!

Document these values.

Then, transform them into actionable statements by completing these three sentences:

1. "My writing exists to..."

2. "The qualities I prioritize in my work are..."

3. "I measure success in my writing by..."

Read the statements aloud. Adjust wording until each sentence feels authentic. Remove what doesn't fit. Add what's missing.

Now give yourself a pat on the back because you have just created your values statement as an author! Moving forward, this will serve as a reference point for decisions about projects, creative direction, and energy allocation. Place it somewhere visible for regular consultation.

Sharing Your Work

If you’re comfortable, I’d love for you to share your values statements on social media and tag me @stygianpen so the conversation can continue beyond the workshop. This exercise works best when it stays active, not tucked away in a notebook. I’m looking forward to seeing how your values show up on the page!