Writing Genius: Wonder
How "Wonder" applies to writing and publishing a book
Last time I introduced Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni. Now I’m going to talk about how I see the genius of “wonder” showing up in the process of writing and publishing a book.
What Is Wonder?
Wonder basically refers to the work of considering if something could be better, or if a new thing should exist, or maybe an old thing isn’t needed anymore. It’s big picture thinking and asking what about, what if, and why.
This is typically the phase when you start thinking of maybe writing a book. You get the first broad ideas of what it could be, perhaps its shape, scope, genre, or purpose. You might have general ideas about characters, events, or worlds. You think about why you want to write this book and why people might want to read it. It might occur to you that a book like this is filling a need that you don’t see filled in the books that you know exist.
Wonder in Action
Someone with Wonder as one of their geniuses will love this kind of work, and these types of questions often come up naturally in their minds. On the other hand, it might be tempting to spend too much time in this phase. It might be difficult to make a decision about what the book should be and move forward confidently, because of all the other possibilities.
Some people leave this phase quickly or skip it entirely. Someone who is much stronger in the next phase (Invention) naturally takes the first glimmer of an idea and immediately builds it out into specific characters, plot events, and worlds. It might not even be a conscious decision to do this.
But if we don’t spend enough time on this Wonder phase, we might end up working on the wrong book at the wrong time, or we might build the wrong structure for the book. We might not be in touch with who it’s for, which readers would enjoy the finished book, or where it would fit in the marketplace. And we might not know why we’re really writing it.
Create a Blueprint
While not related to Working Genius, The Blueprint for a Book process by Jennie Nash helps you slow down and spend some time in this Wonder phase. This tool helps you think about what the book could be, what you want it to be, and what that means for developing it into a story readers will love. I highly recommend it as a guide for thinking through this Wonder phase, and you’ve got options for how.
Work through the Blueprint book on your own.
Join the Am Writing Blueprint Challenge (if you’re too late for this one, watch for the next one).
Get coached through the Blueprint.
Whether you have trouble with this Wonder phase or wish you could stay here forever, a coach can help you finish your Blueprint, give you valuable feedback on it, and help you know when it’s time to start drafting.
Wonder Throughout the Creative Process
Wonder isn’t only used at the very beginning of the process. When you’re drafting and get stuck, you might use Wonder to think about why you’re stuck and if the original idea needs to be revisited. You would also return to Wonder when considering a finished draft and what to do with it next. Any time you pause and ask if you are on the right track, or if it might be better if you go in another direction, you are using Wonder.
Every phase of the book production process has a Wonder component, too. An editor uses Wonder to think about the big picture of the book’s shape. You would also start with Wonder when considering how you want to publish and market your book.
The reason Wonder is at the beginning of the process is that it sets the trajectory for all the work that follows. It can be unhelpful if you return to Wonder when the time for Wonder has passed. It can derail your train when you would otherwise reach your destination. But sometimes the creative train is already derailed because the project isn’t working, or needs to be derailed because something important wasn’t considered earlier. In those cases, it’s best to return to Wonder no matter where you are in the process.
My Wonder
Wonder is not one of my geniuses, but it’s not one of my frustrations either. It’s a competency, which means it’s sort of in the middle. I generally enjoy it more than my frustrations, but it’s not as fulfilling as my geniuses.
I can see how my desire to write and my seeds of ideas all come from my tendency to wonder. It’s not something I do all the time, and I often have to consciously decide to go there, but it’s still a part of my life. I use it in my writing, editing, and coaching often.
I love how this Working Genius system doesn’t claim that you’re not good at something. You could be good at things that aren’t your genius; it’s just that those things might wear you out, while your geniuses give you energy.
What About You?
Is Wonder one of your geniuses, competencies, or frustrations? How do you interact with Wonder when working on a book? Share in the comments!
I would say that I'm particularly good at the wonder phase but I often get stuck there. It's easier for me to dream up ideas for books than to execute them. I have more ideas for books than I know what to do with!
I would tend to use "wonder" as a noun rather than a verb. While writing, I will be searching for wonder. It's a kind of excitement. It's like discovering a unicorn in your back yard -- "Wow! This is wonderful!"