Communication and Creativity: How Does Media Usage Influence Those Who Create Media Texts?

Abstract

Despite a rich history of research on the impact of various media on their users or consumers, very little has been done to investigate the impact these same texts have on those who produce texts themselves. As part of a larger multi-componential study of creativity, this article aims to show how adult media creators are directly and indirectly influenced by the media they consume, as well as how communication and media scholars may investigate media influence without neglecting the impact of other factors. Focusing on Australian fiction writers, this research found that media use was an important (but not the sole) component in developing their interest in writing, learning their craft, and generating and testing ideas.