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15 - Pretend Play, Emotional Processes, and Developing Narratives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2010

By
Sandra W. Russ
Edited by
Scott Barry Kaufman  and
James C. Kaufman
Scott Barry Kaufman
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
James C. Kaufman
Affiliation:
California State University, San Bernardino
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Summary

Pretend play sets the stage for the creative writer. So many processes that are important in creative writing occur in the play of childhood and are developed in the arena of pretend play. Pretend play involves imagination, fantasy, storytelling, emotional expression, becoming absorbed in the moment, being spontaneous, taking risks, understanding the perspectives of others, and experiencing the joy of creation. Individuals who are able to engage in pretend play as children should be able to access these processes as adults during the writing process.

This chapter reviews processes in pretend play that are important in creativity, with a specific focus on emotional processes and creative writing. Although pretend play in children is a long way from creative writing in adults, nevertheless basic elements of the creative process occur in play. We can study these processes and learn about how play can help foster these elements. As in many areas of creativity, both case studies of creative writers (Wallace, 1989) and research studies offer valuable information. This chapter includes theory, research, and case examples that illustrate creative processes in creative authors.

PRETEND PLAY AND CREATIVITY

One of the best definitions of pretend play is by Fein (1987). She conceptualized pretend play as “a symbolic behavior in which one thing is playfully treated as if it were something else” (Fein, 1987, p. 282). A block becomes a telephone, for example. Pretend play involves the use of fantasy, symbolism, and make-believe.

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The Psychology of Creative Writing , pp. 247 - 263
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

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