Advice from Teens and Young Adults on Writing About Cancer

Have you ever thought you might want to write about your experiences with cancer? 

Young people are often curious about telling their story. Many hope that sharing their experiences might help other teens and young adults with cancer. Some want to share what they are going through so that others can better understand what it is like. But most teens and young adults are not sure how to write about cancer. 

While some teens and young adults like journaling or reflective writing, lots of young adults write mostly through text messages or social media posts. Writing simply means putting words together on a page, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. 

Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming to think about writing, especially about cancer. You might not know where to start or how to tell your story.  

We asked young people who participated in the Chronicling Cancer (ChronCan) writing project about what advice they would give other teens and young adults with cancer who might be considering writing.

Every writer that we interviewed spoke about the importance of encouraging teens and young adults with cancer to express themselves through writing. As one teen said, “Writing makes you slow down to reflect on what's actually going on in your own mind. It's one of the healthiest things you could do for yourself.” 

Here I share 5 words of advice that these teens and adolescents wanted to share with other young people about writing. 

1. Be honest

Teens and young adults encouraged others to be truthful about their thoughts and personal experiences in their writing. One writer advised teens and young adults “to not sugar coat things” because “being honest helps people to relate more to you.” Several people felt like honesty can help readers to better understand what teens and young adults have gone through.

Many teens and young adults spoke about how writing honestly about their cancer allowed them to experience personal growth. One writer reflected on how "you're stronger by being transparent and telling someone that it hurts so they can help.”

2. Take your time

Teens encouraged others to have patience during the writing process and take their time when thinking about what to write. One young adult said, “Do not just answer a question very fast because they have to really think about.” Teens and young adults also encouraged others to “try not to rush” the writing process.

Lots of emotions can arise during writing. Young people recommended that writers pay attention to how they feel: 

3. Get more opinions

Several teens and young adults appreciated writing with their loved ones. Family members helped young people with the physical act of writing, such as typing for them. 

Writing with parents or siblings helped teens and young adults to remember things that they may have forgotten about their experiences. When writing with loved ones, young people appreciated the opportunity to “get more opinions and actually have a sound board to throw things off of.”

Teens and young adults also felt like loved ones helped motivate them to keep going. Writers valued “just having the people that's been there and along the journey with you” support them through the writing process. 

Some young people preferred to keep their personal writing private, and that’s perfectly OK. Sometimes writing just for yourself lets you share your thoughts without worrying about what someone else might think. Writing can be something you do by yourself, and you don’t have to share it with others if you don’t want. 

Other times, sharing your writing with people you trust can be meaningful. Getting more opinions can also mean talking to others about what different writing processes look like, getting ideas for how to revise your story, or sharing tips that helped you through writing. 

4. Don't take it too seriously

Teens and young adults advised others not to stress or worry about writing. They felt that young people should not put too much pressure on themselves. 

Teens and young adults should know that they can choose how they want to tell their own story, and you don’t have to respond to any writing prompts that you don’t want to answer. There is no wrong way to tell your story.

As one person said, "You don't have to start at any one place.” Teens and young adults can choose different ways to tell their story, such as by talking, and that writing is only one way: “You don't really have to even start anywhere, you just talk.” Voice typing, available on a phone or laptop, uses speech recognition to translate what you say to the written word. 

Writers wanted teens and young adults to remember that everyone’s experience with cancer is unique: 

5. "Let it free"

The last piece of advice from teens and young adults is this: "Let it free, like just go crazy."

Teens and young adults in our study encouraged young people with cancer to put the effort into writing. They acknowledged how hard it can be to have cancer at a young age, which is part of why writing can help. 

Young people spoke about writing as an important tool for anyone of this age range, and especially "for kids who are going to potentially come in and struggle mentally, emotionally, physically.”

At the same time, young people also understand how complicated it can be to live with cancer. As one writer put it, “Hopefully, [writing] will help somebody.” Writing can be an empowering and freeing way to express oneself for some, but it may not be for everyone. 

One teen shared the following words of encouragement to those who are considering writing: 

Tell us about your experiences writing about cancer at together@stjude.org. What words of advice do you have for other teens and adults with cancer who are thinking about writing?