Finding the Genius Within
- A Writer's Guide Rob Parnell
This
is a three-stage process.
First, you need to break down your
preconceptions about what you think being a genius is.
When you call someone a genius, what do
you mean?
That they display characteristics that
seem to be above the common herd? That they think ahead
of their time? That they seem to be able to create
perfect art with little or no effort?
Einstein was a genius they say. So was
Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Beethoven and Van Gogh.
Why? Because they displayed a unique way of thinking that
separated them from the mainstream.
Did genius just bestow itself upon these
individuals?
No, every so-called genius is a craftsman
first. They learn the basics. They study them, copy them
until they are implicit. So that, when it's time to
create for themselves, they know and understand their
influences.
Good artists express themselves with
honesty and skill. They also learn - and keep learning -
from other artists. No influence is a bad influence. It
all helps.
Genius is a not a thing in itself. It is
merely a qualitative judgment made by individuals and
critics - usually after the artist is dead!
What marks you out as a “genius”
is your willingness to be true – to yourself and to
your art. In other words, genius is really about having
the courage of your convictions - the courage to be
yourself.
Stage two: some practical advice now.
Clear your mind. To do this, meditate or
go for a long walk in the country, undisturbed.
First, try to visualize nothing. No
feelings, influences or distractions. Try to find that
inner essence that is pure calm, joy and strength.
It’s there, inside all of us. Get in touch with it.
Then, calmly tell yourself you’re a
genius. Repeat the phrase to yourself until it becomes
almost meaningless. I am a genius.
Do this about three to five times a day
for five days. (You can do this with any phrase you want
your subconscious to believe.)
For stage three, when you’re ready,
take the plunge and write.
Write a paragraph or two about a character
or a situation that you totally believe in – even if
it’s fictional. Edit it afterwards until all the
words represent that particular view of reality, as if it
IS true, 100%.
Read it back. Is it convincing? If not,
keep rewriting until the logic of each word and sentence
is, in your mind, incontrovertible.
That’s the trick. Make your work
totally convincing TO YOU on your own terms. Do not write
for others. It doesn’t work. Be true to yourself and
others will follow.
In the end, it's about how much you
believe in your own vision of the world. If you
don’t really believe in something then neither will
your reader, no matter how clever you are with words.
In brief, to be a potential
“genius” you must trust your instincts, believe
in yourself and write from the heart. To do any less is
to cheat yourself – and your readers.
