In 2014, as a postgrad at the University of East London, Megan set out to uncover how writing through the lens of our most positive emotions might make us happier, and was amazed by what she found. This project expanded into a published research article, and then a book, and then a doctoral degree. Writing for our wellbeing – both reflectively and creatively – has been the subject of Megan’s research (and fascination) ever since.

In 2023 Megan set up The Joyful School of Writing to offer workshops, courses and mentoring. You can also train with Megan if you are interested in the facilitation of joyful writing journeys.

Selected Publications & Presentations

• Hayes, Megan C. (2022) “The WRITE Model: An Interdisciplinary Tool for Research and Practice in Creative Writing and Wellbeing.” Writing in Practice: The Journal of Creative Writing Research, Vol. 8.
• Hayes, Megan C. and Nicholls, S. (2020). “Writer-researcher-facilitator: An integrative model for creative writers working in wellbeing contexts and beyond.” Writing in Practice: The Journal of Creative Writing Research, Vol. 6.
• Hayes, Megan C. and Llewellyn E. van Zyl. (2019) “Positive Journal Writing Across Multicultural Contexts” in Positive psychological intervention design and protocols for multi-cultural contexts, eds. Llewellyn E. van Zyl and Ian Rothmann. Springer International.
• Hayes, Megan C. “The Positive Journal: Putting the Psychology of Happiness onto the Page and into Practice.” Workshop presentation to the 9th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Budapest, Hungary, (June 2018).
• Hayes, Megan C. (2017) “The Flourishing Writer.” Writing in Practice: The Journal of Creative Writing Research, Vol. 3.
• Hayes, Megan C. (July 2017) “The Worded Self: Perspectives on Creative Writing and the Good Life from Literature to Positive Psychology.” Paper presentation to the Fifth Salzburg Institute Symposium, Universität Salzburg, Stefan Zweig Centre, Austria.
• Hayes, Megan C. (September 2016) “The Flourishing Writer: Constructing Grounded Theory (GT) in Creative Writing Studies.” Paper presentation to the ‘Writing Between the Lines: Exploring Creative Writing as a Research Methodology’ conference, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales.
• Hayes, Megan C. (June 2016) “‘Becoming more’: Towards a positive psychology of creative writing.” Workshop presentation to the 8th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Angers, France.
• Hayes, Megan C. and Hefferon, K. (2015) “‘Not like rose-tinted glasses… like taking a pair of dirty glasses off’: A pilot intervention using positive emotions in expressive writing.” International Journal of Wellbeing. 5(4), 78-95. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v5i4.4