Walking and Writing, Running and Redrafting: Towards a template for the physically-active creative

Abstract

This paper investigates the interdisciplinary and symbiotic links between creativity and physical activity in order to present a template for a physically-active creative. Co-written by a Creative Writing and a Sport and Physical Activity academic, the research draws on existing literature across both disciplines and original quantitative and qualitative research. After exploring examples of famous writers and artists who undertook exercise as part of their creative process and incorporating a review of studies on creativity from the physical activity and sport context, this article then moves on to present results from a 2018 Pilot Study, undertaken at the University of Stirling, and a 2021 online Graduate Event, conducted in partnership with the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities. In doing so, the authors conclude by proposing three non-prescriptive recommendations for how to incorporate physical activity into a creative routine and foster a best practice that utilises concepts from the field of sport and physical activity to further understand and develop the creative process.