“I Don't Think of Myself as a Writer”: Youth Writing Lives Beyond School

ABSTRACT Youth write extensively across digital, personal, and creative environments, yet many do not identify themselves as writers. The current mixed‐methods study explores the disconnect between high school students' everyday writing habits and the prescriptive definitions of writing often promoted in school settings. Drawing on survey responses from 1444 high school students and 22 follow‐up interviews, we examine how youth describe their writing lives inside and outside of school. Findings reveal three key tensions: the formulaic, monotonous nature of school writing; the hidden writing lives students maintain in digital and personal contexts; and the narrow definitions of “writer” that impact students' identities. Although students engage in journaling, fan fiction, digital role‐play, and other forms of creative composition, the creative modalities are dismissed or stigmatized in academic settings. We conclude by discussing implications for literacy instruction that center student agency, expand definitions of writing, and bridge the divide between school and youth composing repertoires.