What the Bird Said
How writing helps you think
Dear fellow writer,
With this year’s 6-week Creativity Catalyst now well underway (there’s still time to enroll!), I’m refloating this feathery post from two years ago. Like the Catalyst course itself, it’s all about the power of creative practice to unlock new insights and bring fresh energy to our “serious” writing.
Enjoy!
What is that jewel-eyed bird saying to the glowing glass heart in the sky?
The answer lies inside your notebook. Uncover your own truth by picking up your favorite pen, setting a timer for ten minutes, and writing whatever words flow through your heart and hand onto the page.
Your title: “What the Bird Said”
Your topic: Your writing
I tested out this prompt on the participants in two of my recent WriteSPACE Studio sessions. Their responses were lyrical, honest, and wise:
The bird said: I perch in awe of the perfect writing – the heart – that stands out in the grey background, ready to take flight towards it. I prime my wings and aim toward clear, concrete, concise, and colourful writing. (Vicky, UK)
I overheard the bird talking not long after I presented a conference paper titled “What can positive psychology offer to maths teaching and learning?” The bird said: “So now we are expected to be psychologists as well as maths lecturers? That bird is crazy! If I try to advise students on things beyond maths, why should they believe me?” (Anita, South Africa)
I wrote about a rejection letter that I received last week. When I criticized my writing and myself, the bird reminded me that I should be more compassionate and supportive of myself. (Angelica, Texas, USA)
The bird said: Perhaps try writing less and listening more. Research is a crafting art. Listen for the story in the sunrise, in the river running, in the teeth of old auntie casuarina. You worry too much about writing. Words are helpful, but they are not enough to fully express a life well-lived, or the ancient wisdom of Indigenous Songlines, or the importance of earthworm encounters. Sit with me awhile and we will listen together. (Nina, Australia)
The bird said: Let your writing move like me through the blue sky … let it go anywhere; it can soar to great heights and it can swoop close to the ground. When you need to, you can take a rest on high branches; at other times, you can write with others – a murmuration of writespacers. You fly to make meaning, to come to know but most importantly, to connect your lines of flight with others. (James, UK)
“Take heart,” the bird said. “As the sun burns, so does the ever-present inspiration for your writing”. How did it know that I was in the process of floundering, lost in a sea of data, demands, and deadlines? I sat back and contemplated its words, feeling for the first time in a while a sense of calm as I turned back to the screen. The words on the page suddenly seemed clearer, less imposing. The sun was in the sky, it was heart-shaped, and birds talked. Things weren’t so bad after all, and neither was my writing. (Victoria, Australia)
Creative writing prompts like this one can help you discover things about yourself that you didn’t know you know. They fire up our imagination and light up our words.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to open your notebook, fill your pen, and find out what that mysterious bird is telling you.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to see more of the same, please take a moment to drop me a heart, leave a comment, and/or click Restack at the bottom of this message. Your enthusiasm and support mean so much to me.
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) – and keep on writing!
Helen
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