Effortless Genius

Genius lines from Releasing The Writer Within

Genius lines are the ones that surprise us in a piece of writing that has no intent other than to release some of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and observations. We hear these lines out loud, and they resonant with us all in class—so much so that you will hear gasps, maybe even an “amen” or a “wow!”

When students share their work in my class, I jot down lines that hit me in the heart. I ask my students to do the same when they listen to each other read. We do not critique each other’s writing in Releasing The Writer Within; We celebrate and affirm one another’s work by listening intently and writing in our notebooks the lines that move us. When the reader finishes and we share our responses, it never surprises me that we find our selves reading the same lines. There is a synchronicity in class that is the magic lightning that makes writing so effortless...and always connected.  

Sometimes lines will hit me especially hard, and I will ask students to take the line(s) and “jump off” them for a free write for homework. I invite you to try just that with the following lines:

“Wow! 5 minutes of writing? I don’t think I have 5 minutes of thought in me!” –Brenda

“Who do I surrender to?” - Brenda

“Deafening silence. Why is that? Silence shouldn’t be so loud.” –Michelle

“I put up a wall (to block out the pain) so I can focus on the good but every brick blocks me from feeling.” –Michelle

“I try to sit and feel okay with the pain. Put that behind me and focus on the good.” –Michelle

“Sometimes I go fast, and I am only that.” – Keri

“I hate the wasteful creature comforts we think we need. I want to be brave enough to live simply and quietly until I feel I can’t do it any more, but then get past that feeling to keep doing it, nonetheless.”  - Keri

“Each thing I take away gets me closer to what I can’t remove.”

“I have a lot of people where only I should be.” - Keri

“I’m a ticking time bomb just waiting anxiously to explode.” –A.J.

 “Breathing, tripping, bleeding, living. Being in control requires all of these.” –A.J.

“I create my own pain and then I go down with it.” -A.J.

“Children are a fabulous excuse for missed careers.” - Kirsten

Release it on paper and let it go...

I just finished teaching a four-week series of Releasing TheWriter Within. The pieces that my students created were responses to very unstructured prompts; my goal was to give them wide, open space to observe their feelings, thoughts, and ideas and then release them onto paper. The only rule in my class is do not judge or evaluate yourself or classmates. This environment allows for total freedom of expression, crucial to the creative process and removing possible obstacles towards creativity. 

Below is a warm-up piece from one of my new students, Brenda. A warm up is a free-write that we do after a brief breathing exercise. The idea is to just write what is in your mind at that moment.

Chaos

Like a Calgon commercial, I see the bits and pieces of the day crashing

around me. Fast moving, spinning me in circles. How to focus. Thoughts so scattered as I try to put the pieces together.

My morning; wake fast, no time to get ready. Rushing…shower, dress…what to wear. Feed the dogs. Take them for their morning walk. What now?

Get the coffee ready so that I can start the day. Four messages on my phone already and I haven’t even left for the office yet. Oh God! Early morning meeting, so many emails.

On the road visiting clients. Such negativity! Is this what 2013 is going to be like. Just let me get through January. Only two weeks in and already…dread. Is this going to be a bad year? I’ve certainly had my share. Just want a life that’s easier.

Gone are the days of irresponsibility. I wish I could get those days back but no luck. The responsibility is thick, so thick that it chokes.