Let’s talk about creative genius. What is it, really?

This week I finished reading The Enchantress, by Michael Scott, last in the series: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. (I wrote about the series here, when I read the first book: The Alchemyst.)

Michael Scott knows all about mythology. His masterful knowledge allowed him to pull from all kinds of mythological sources as he populated his series and created his worlds—or “Shadowrealms,” in his terms. Michael Scott wasn’t the first to use draw on myths while creating fiction. That’s a common enough practice. But the result: creative genius. What makes it creative genius?

I thought about other authors I admire. I asked myself: “Are they the only one to tell that kind of tale?” No. “Is their message one never before heard?” No. So what makes for creative genius, if it isn’t originality?

I think creative genius comes from a person’s willingness to take everything they know, and to filter it through their very own, unique, point of view and experience, (and imagination). They take it all and stir it up, like a big pot of soup. They add their own spices, and perhaps a few different ingredients, though they’re working from the same general recipe storytellers have been using since time began. The result is something unique. Creative genius results as a flavor that cannot be repeated, because the person will never be replicated.

Creative genius comes from having the courage to express with all your heart and all your spirit, from everything you know and everything you’ve been through.

All of which means that each of us can reach creative genius. What’s required? A dollop of courage, and a large portion of dedication and persistence.

There will never be another you. You can add to what you know (become an expert like Michael Scott is in mythology!) You can add to your experiences. You can feed your imagination. But the “soup pot” for creative genius is you. It’s just waiting to be filled. It’s waiting for you to turn on the burner and start cooking.

What are you stirring in your creative soup pot these day? Leave a comment, share your project!

P.S. I believe creative genius is a byproduct of authentic, heartfelt, full-bodied creativity. Which means it doesn’t pay to wait for or strive for genius. Just strive for the authentic, heartfelt, full-bodied creativity. Put in the time, apply the elbow grease—that’s the part you can control.