TED: How creative writing can help you through life's hardest moments | Sakinah Hofler

The video explores the concept of bearing witness through writing, using Anne Frank's diary as an example. It introduces a creative writing exercise to help individuals express and unsilence their experiences. The instructor shares personal stories to illustrate the exercise and provides techniques for storytelling. The video concludes with a personal story, emphasizing the power of storytelling in reclaiming one's narrative.

What is the primary purpose of bearing witness according to the introduction?

• To create fictional stories

• To record and acknowledge experiences

• To forget past events

• To entertain others

Which historical figure's diary is mentioned as an example of bearing witness?

• Martin Luther King Jr.

• Mahatma Gandhi

• Winston Churchill

• Anne Frank

What is the first step in the creative writing exercise to bear witness?

• Editing the story

• Brainstorming and writing it down

• Sharing with friends

• Publishing the story

What type of experiences are students encouraged to write about in the exercise?

• Only happy moments

• Experiences where they could have intervened but didn't

• Fictional events

• Future aspirations

What is the significance of writing down at least 10 experiences?

• To impress the teacher

• To bear witness and unsilence repressed memories

• To prepare for a debate

• To create a novel

What should be the focus when narrowing down to three experiences?

• The most recent events

• The most dramatic events

• Experiences that strongly resonate with the writer

• The longest stories

What is the most important aspect to capture when writing about the three chosen experiences?

• The exact time of day

• The names of people involved

• The emotions and feelings

• The location

What is the final step in using creative writing to bear witness?

• Creating a video

• Picking one experience and telling the story

• Sharing with a friend

• Publishing the story

What is suggested if the writer witnessed something but did not intervene?

• Ignore the event

• Forget about it

• Write from the perspective of the person affected

• Blame others

What is the purpose of telling your story, even if only to yourself?

• To impress others

• To create a fictional narrative

• To take back some power and acknowledge the event

• To entertain others