Accidental

Poetry:
Improve Your
English Through
Creative Writing

Lisa Lieberman Doctor

Copyright 2015, Lisa Lieberman Doctor
 CONTENTS

Accidental Poetry
How To Use This Book
Chapter One: Awakening The Six Senses
Chapter Two: Longing, Yearning, Desiring
Chapter Three: Weaving In Lighter Emotional Colors
Chapter Four: Weaving In Darker Colors
Chapter Five: Observations about Parents
Chapter Six: The Nuclear Family
Chapter Seven: Childhood Memories
Chapter Eight: Romantic Relationships and Friendship
Chapter Nine: Evolution and Epiphanies
A Final Thought
Acknowledgments
 Accidental Poetry

The words fall from my mouth

and the man in the bar
sweeps them away with his broom.

A college student in central Europe wrote those words while learning English. Neither her friends
nor her family in her small village speak English, yet she made the bold choice to write her feelings, her
thoughts, and her ideas with her limited vocabulary, allowing the words to flow without concern for
grammatical correctness. I call this kind of creative writing Accidental Poetry. Its colorful, its effective,
and it gives new speakers of English the confidence to communicate in a language theyre still learning.
Another first-year student in Europe lives in a church with his sister and single mother. The family
exchanges housekeeping chores for room and board. When asked to write about the glue that holds his
family together, his response began,
We are the children of the garbage.
In one sentence, with his limited vocabulary, he conveyed with depth and sensitivity the way he and
his family are seen by others.
A third student, musing about a new love, wrote,
Lets travel around our day in eighty different worlds.
There you have it: Accidental poetry.
You might be wondering if its really possible to improve your English skills through creative
writing. The answer is: yes. With only a basic grasp of English, you can begin writing now with
confidence and depth.
By responding to prompts without fear of grammatical errors, youll experience the joy of being
understood in a language youre still in the process of learning. This proven approach helps new English
speakers communicate with ease while increasing their skills as they continue to write.
Heres how I created the Doctor Methodand why I know it works. While teaching American
English idioms and grammar at a university in Spain, I was struck by a revelation: what if I were to offer
my students the writing method I created and used with novelists and screenwriters back home in Los
Angeles? In a career that has included being a movie executive, a television writer and a writing teacher,
Ive developed hundreds of writing exercises designed to connect authors with their fictional characters
by exploring common emotions. Ive worked with winners of the Academy Award, the Pulitzer Prize, the
National Book Award, the Tony, and the Emmy, and Ive also guided new writers approaching their first
novel or screenplay. The Doctor Method has become a powerful tool that offers writers at every level the
ability to write deeply and with ease. Why not share it with new English speakers, too?
I decided to ask my students in Spain to try this method of writing from their hearts and to read their
work aloud. I knew from the start it was risky. After all, I was in a foreign culture where men and women
were not accustomed to sharing the details of their lives in the classroom. Other foreign language teachers
at the university used conventional textbooks with their students, and did not encourage personal writing.
Introducing a new approach was surely a challenge, but I was determined to try it.
First, I gave each student an exercise of their ownI asked questions like, how has compassion for
others changed your life? And, when were you held hostage by your own fears? They could answer with
whatever vocabulary was available to them, without concern for grammar, spelling, or verb conjugation.
It was, quite frankly, the opposite of what I was hired to teach, yet the results were extraordinary. Once
the students began writing, they asked for more prompts until the writing exercises became our entire
curriculum. To my delight, they wrote with passion about the love of their family and the rich cultural
history of their homeland. They displayed no shyness when sharing their sadness about a recent break-up
with a romantic partner, or their empathic concern when a close friend lost his way. Heres how one
student wrote of his financial woes:
I see myself in red numbers.
Another student wrote this about her new romance:
That French young man of hazelnut eyes.
Not only did these students with only a basic command of English write with depth and poignancy,
their confidence about communicating in a foreign language skyrocketed!
By semesters end I was eager to continue teaching English using my unique method. I returned to
Spain three more times in as many years, expanding not only the circle of learners at the University, but
also organizing private workshops. Next, I shared my method at one of Spains national language schools
with a group of English language teachers. They immediately saw the power of using creative writing as
an effective teaching tool, and invited their students to join in and give it a try. The outpouring of interest
was so great that we had to bring a microphone into the meeting room to address all the enthusiastic
students who attended. Everyone was amazed by the response. When the session ended, the administrators
and participants thanked me and asked me to return, saying theyd never experienced anything quite like it.
I continued to work with new English speakers in foreign locales using the Doctor Method, and the
feedback was thrilling. My students unanimously agreed that the learning was so easy and pressure-free
that they wanted to keep writing from the heart.
Their joy became my joy as they connected with themselves and with each other in a truly profound
way.
Its been a most gratifying journey, watching so many new speakers of English communicate with
confidence. This guidebook is the result of that journey. For years I was reluctant to put the exercises in a
book, afraid that being absent during the process would hinder the results. And of course, I would miss
the deep satisfaction of hearing my students words and feelings soar.
But this method works too well to keep it all to myself. Its time to share it with everyone interested
in jumping in and writing creatively. That means you.
So here you are. Whether youre an instructor of English or learning the language on your own,
youll find that these exercises will help to develop language skills creatively and effortlessly. This is not
a book that will teach you grammar and conjugation. The purpose of this book, above all else, is to enjoy
learning Englishor help others learnby communicating thoughts, stories, and feelings.
Theres no better time to begin than right now.
Have fun as you write, and dont expect perfection. In my many travels, Ive encountered new
English speakers who wont visit English speaking countries until they have perfected their language
skills. Im always disappointed by this. While waiting to achieve the impossible, theyre missing out on
wonderful travel experiences. Its a faulty belief that we must speak flawlessly in order to be understood.
Several years ago, while having dinner with my husband in a caf in Italy, a woman seated at the
next table asked us, Pardon me. Are you American? When I said that we were, she asked if she could
join us. Soon, we learned that she was from a small town in Norway and was traveling on her own for
several months. She described to us her exciting adventures in at least a dozen countries. When she was
unsure of a word in English, we filled in the blank, easily understanding what she was trying to say in
context. At the end of the meal and our lively conversation, I asked her if shed ever been to the United
States.
No, she said. I wont go there until my English is better.
I was amazed. After assuring her that we understood all of her travel stories, I asked what would
happen in the unlikely situation that she would be misunderstood while in the States.
People might think Im stupid, she said.
I was so disheartened to hear this, that I incorporated the concept into my international teaching.
Now, whenever I begin a workshop with new speakers of English, I offer a few words in their native
language and I ask them, How many of you think Im unintelligent? No hands go up. I then ask, How
many of you think I make mistakes because Im new to your language? Everyone in the room raises their
hand. Nobody has ever seen meor others learning a new languageas stupid.
Almost all speakers of a new language will make mistakes with conjugation and vocabulary. We all
need to understand that when were new to a language, were not perceived by its native speakers as
stupid. Rather, were seen for what we are: intelligent people who are making an effort to learn a new
language, and who are courageous enough to try it without the fear of getting it wrong.
The lesson? Say and write what you feel in your heart, and your words will be embraced and
understood.
Here are a few more lines of accidental poetry borrowed from first-year college students who
were new to the English language:

I want to be an adult. My shoulders are too light.

The first time I saw you, your look became a treasure.

Everything is black and I feel blue.

You must be really brave to be loved.

A photograph is a piece of nature on a piece of paper that you can hold in your hand.

He moved his fingers across the strings, like a soft wind caressing the foliage.

My eyes follow him until I lose him.

Im waiting for my king and practicing to be a queen.

The house was as empty as her soul.

How profound these sentences are. How telling and sensitive. In just a few wordsmost of them
part of a basic English vocabularywe feel deeply what the writer is trying to say. This proves that when
we communicate with emotional truth, were easily understoodno matter the limitations of our
vocabulary.
Of course, traditional books and audio tapes that instruct about grammar, usage and conjugation
have great value, and Im not suggesting you forsake them for my method. Rather, use the exercises in this
book to augment what youre learning elsewhere. The key is to relax, feel confident in your abilities, and
enjoy the process of improving your English skills through creative writing. Its Doctor approved!
 How To Use This Book

Accidental Poetry: Improve Your English Through Creative Writing is designed to guide
instructors and learners alike. Its goal is to give new speakers of English the confidence to communicate
creatively with the vocabulary thats available now. New English speakers will continue to reap the
books benefits over time, as the ability to master the language increases. To that end, here are a few
suggestions for using the book to its fullest extent:
1. Individually: Start at the beginning of the book and choose a different writing exercise each
day. When youve completed all of the exercises, go back and start again. Notice how
your vocabulary and your confidence when writing in English has increased. Continue
using the exercises, telling new stories and exploring new emotions as your mastery
continues to grow.
2. With a friend: Share your work with a friend who is also new to the language. You can
choose the same writing exercises or work with different ones. Read your work out loud
to each other, practicing pronunciation. Perhaps your responses will elicit a dialogue.
Discuss your reactions to each others workin English!
3. With a group: Gather with others at regular intervals and each time you do, have one of the
participants choose the exercises. Allow for ample writing time, and then share your
written work with each other. Talk about the emotional response you have to each others
work.
4. In the classroom: Language instructors will find the exercises to be a handy teaching tool.
Allowing students to write what they feel is a fun and rewarding diversion from the
rigors of grappling with grammar and syntax. Try working with a specific topic, or
choose random prompts, assigning a different one to each student. Follow each exercise
with a second prompt that goes deeper, giving students additional opportunities for
expression. Encourage them to use more complex verb tenses as they continue to write,
and give them an opportunity to correct their grammar, spelling and punctuation in order
to refine their written words.
5. Place: When youre ready to write, either on your own or with others, find a quiet and
comfortable place where you wont be disturbed. If youre using a computer or tablet,
rest your fingers on the keys, take in the exercise, and write as the thoughts come to you.
Let the words flow.
6. Should You Get Stuck: When you respond to the exercises the first time around, work with
the English words you have on hand. Dont waste energy worrying about the correctness
of your sentences. If a prompt contains a word thats new to you, take the opportunity to
look up its meaning. Likewise, as you write, you might find that you dont know a
specific word in English. When this happens, you might want to find it in the dictionary.
7. Length: Your response to the writing prompts can be as short as a few paragraphs or as
long as a novel. Write whatever stories come to mind as you work with the exercise. You
can set the scene, activate the senses, and use dialogue. Dont be concerned about
correctness. Have fun! Youll be pleased to see how far it takes you.
8. Order: The writing exercises are divided into chapters, beginning with awakening the
senses. From there, well move on to the darker and lighter shades of our emotions, our
longings and desires, and interpersonal relationships, from parents and siblings to
friends and romantic partners. Well also explore feelings about growing older and our
 personal evolution. Naturally, these topics get more complicated. Feel free to skip
around, but you may find that beginning with simpler emotions helps you gain the
confidence to increase the complexity of both emotion and language.
9. A word of caution: Its important to note that many of the exercises might bring up
unexpected feelings. Please be assured that any emotions youre feeling will not harm
you as you express them in writing. In fact, writing may help you feel better. Feelings are
the richest part of our lives, and expressing them on the page can be a deeply rewarding
experience. If you choose to share your written work with others, youll soon realize that
your feelings are universal and germane to all of us.
10. Hold on to your written work: Keep a notebook or a journal of your responses to the
exercises. This way, youll have a collection of your work and youll be able to track
your progress.
Enjoy!
 Chapter One:
Awakening The Six Senses

She wanted to spend the warm sunny days under the bright sky, on the sand, with the salty water
and the smell of cocoa. First year English student

The six senses: sound, smell, taste, sight, touch, and intuition can bring about memories and bring
up a wide variety of unexpected emotions. With each writing exercise in this section, feel the sense
memory and write your stories as they appear before you.

Sound
1. What was the first sound you heard this morning? What emotions or memories did it create?

2. What memories are brought about by the sound of the rain?

3. What memories are brought about by the sound of a bird?
 4. What sound is most comforting to you? Why?

5. What sound is most disturbing? Why?

6. What are the sounds of your childhood?

Smell
7. What was the first aroma that you experienced this morning? What emotions or memories
did it create?
8. What memories are brought about by the smell of a rose?

9. What memories are brought about by the smell of freshly brewed coffee?
 10. What aroma is most comforting to you?

11. What stench is most disturbing?

12. What are the scents of your childhood?

Taste
13. What was the first taste you experienced this morning? What emotions or memories did it
create?

14. What memories are brought about by the taste of warm bread?

15. What memories are brought about by the taste of a crisp apple?
 16. What taste is most comforting to you?

17. What taste is most unpleasant?

18. What are the tastes of your childhood?

Sight
19. What was the first sight you experienced this morning? What emotions or memories did it
create?

20. What memories are brought about by the sight of autumn leaves?
21. What memories are brought about by the sight of a sunset?
 22. When have you had to turn away from an unpleasant sight? Tell the story.

23. What sight fills your heart with joy?

24. What are the sights of your childhood?

Touch
25. What memories are brought about by the feel of a warm summer sun on your face?
26. What memories are brought about by the feel of rain drenching your clothes?

27. What memories are brought about by the feel of someones hand in yours?
 28. When was the first time you felt the gentle touch of love?

29. When have you felt healed by a human touch?

30. What touches your heart and makes you weep with joy?

Intuition
31. When has your intuition connected you with people you needed to meet?
32. When did your intuition guide you toward meaningful work?

33. When did your trust in your intuitive inner voice save you from disaster?
34. What happened when you didnt listen to your intuition? Tell the story.

35. When did your intuition win out over logic?

36. Does your culture allow you to rely on your intuitive wisdom?
 Chapter Two:
Longing, Yearning, Desiring

I have been able to kiss the soft and holy territory of desire. Second year English student

Like so many words in the English language, longing, yearning and desiring seem to have identical
meanings but in actuality, there are subtle shades of differences. We long for something that seems
unattainable; lost youth, for example, or the return of feelings we had for a lost loved one. We yearn for
that which seems deeply satisfying; a sense of inner peace, perhaps, or a sense of achievement. Both of
these words can elicit a sense of sadness. To desire is to want something for future pleasure; the notion of
being wealthy, perhaps, or a material possession that will make us feel important.
There are other words in the English language that are similar to longing, yearning and desiring. We
feel passion, we have a yen, or a thirst, or a hunger. The vast selection of words in the English language is
a great gift to the speaker and writer, but it can also be confusing to the new speaker of English, what with
so many choices for expression.
One of my former students began his response about desire this way: Sitting here, my heart starts
beating with a lot of strength. This, from a young man who had begun speaking English less than a year
before.
The following writing exercises will allow you to reach into yourself and examine the emotions of
longing, yearning and desiring. See if you can communicate the depth of your feelings with the vocabulary
youre currently working with. As in the previous chapters, tell the story.

37. What do you yearn for right now that youre not willing to wait for?
38. What do you long for that cant be returned to you?

39. When have you longed for something that was actually within reach?

40. Do you yearn for what seems impossible?

41. What outer forces stop you from getting what you desire?
42. What makes you weep with joy? With sorrow?

43. What questions do you need answers to?

44. Do you yearn for the unknown?
45. What have you chased with urgency, passion, ferocity and desire?

46. What is worth fighting for?

47. What is not worth fighting for?

48. Have you ever longed for what was forbidden?

49. What have you desired, despite the instinct that it might not be best for you?
50. When have you received what you desired, only to find it wasnt what you wanted?
51. Is your desire for success greater than your fear of failure?

52. Can you see the difference between your desires and your needs?

53. For what does your heart cry out?

54. When did a desire turn into a burning desire?

 Chapter Three:
Weaving In Lighter Emotional Colors

People are walking with me now out of the darkness. First year English student

I use the concept of the color spectrum when referring to the emotions that swirl within us, since
colors provide immediate visual recognition. Anger, shame, loneliness and fear would be dark emotional
colors, while freedom, joy, compassion, empathy, kindness, honesty, mindfulness and serenity would be
considered the lighter colors. Part of the fun for me when working with these exercises is that I learn quite
a lot about other cultures and lands based upon the responses. I once asked a group of European students,
what makes you feel alive? Their responses taught me about the beauty of their villages in early morning
as the shopkeepers set out their wares; the majesty of the Mediterranean Sea in mid-summer; the joy they
felt trekking into deep forests. It was more authentic than a travel book!
The following exercises will inspire thoughts about the lighter emotional colors. Let your heart
open as you recall the joyful times, and use whatever words you currently have to describe your emotions
and tell your stories.

55. What everyday miracles do you forget to notice?

56. What makes you feel alive?

57. When did a crack of light creep into the darkness?

58. True empathy: When have you looked at another person and said, I AM you?

59. Gratitude. Thanking others. When did you feel this most strongly?
60. What gifts do you have to offer another?
61. How has travel to other lands opened your heart and mind to others?

62. How has compassion for others changed your life?

63. When has showing compassion brought you a sense of pure joy?
64. How has compassion made you a good neighbor?

65. When has taking the high road of honesty brought you inner peace?

66. When have you turned a mistake into a benefit?

67. When did the clouds part to reveal clarity?

68. What makes you weep with joy?

69. When have you felt at one with all the creatures on the planet?
70. How has your compassion expanded to all living creatures, and not just to humans?
71. Where do you find comfort to avoid feeling pain?

72. What does freedom look like?

73. How has compassion for others helped you to rise above yourself?

74. What do you want people to know about you?

75. When has forgiveness brought you inner peace?
76. What does contentment look like?

77. When have you felt freedom from fear?

78. What will bring you serenity?

79. When have you accepted disappointment without losing hope?

80. When have you turned your wounds into wisdom?

81. When have you listened to your inner voice and understood true honesty?
 Chapter Four:
Weaving In Darker Colors

Im the bird that drinks the water and eats the wounded wormsIm the woman who lives in the
clothes full of gaps. Second year English student

The darker colors of anger, shame, loneliness and fear sit side by side with the lighter colors that
swirl within us. As you write, focus on the feelings you want to express, and youll find the words that
illustrate them. Dont fear the dark emotional colors; theyre merely expressions of the universal feelings
that all humans possess.

82. What wounds have you kept hidden?

83. What wounds have not healed?

84. When did you go off the path?

85. What demons distract you?
86. When have you been held hostage by your own self-limiting beliefs?
87. Fear of pain and loss: When has it stopped you from moving forward?

88. How has pain shaped you?

89. How has pain helped you see what you need to detach from?

90. When have you been able to bear the unbearable?

91. Who is behind the mask?
92. What do you not want people to know about you?
93. What makes you angry?
94. How do you let go of anger?
95. How has envy interfered in your life?

96. What do you do to ease the loneliness?

97. When have you grasped for hope, only to have it elude you?
98. Do you worry about how youre perceived?

99. When have you recognized anger, and then allowed it to evaporate?
100. When have you equated anger with shame?

101. What do you fear most?

102. What in your life gets substituted for love?
103. Where do you sabotage relationships?

104. How much are you willing to trustor not trustother people?
105. What camouflage do you wear? Why do you wear it?
106. Who wanted to change you?
107. Who wants to change you now?

108. For whom have you changed yourself? Was it worth it?
109. Who tried to undermine your power?

110. When have you felt betrayed?

111. When were you unable to forgive?

112. When did rain clouds obscure blue skies?

113. When have you been stopped from doing what you wanted to do? Who stopped you?

114. Does your emotional pain frighten you?

115. Can you take action in the face of fear?

116. Who taught you about fear?

117. When have you fought a fear by facing it?
118. When have you laughed in the face of sorrow?
119. When has pain or loss been a motivating force?

120. When has guilt robbed you of your sense of self?

121. When has your desire to succeed been greater than your fear of failure?

122. Can you feel sorrow without collapsing under its weight?
123. What is still most difficult for you?
124. Solitude can be joyous, but loneliness can bring pain. When have you experienced both?

125. Can you accept failure without losing your enthusiasm?

126. When has loss and defeat encouraged you to improve the next time?
127. When have you been able to let go of past mistakes without regret?

128. When has your own commitment to succeed won out over fear?

129. When have you been afraid to love?

 Chapter Five:
Observations about Parents

She has a mouth filled with gratitude and good words. First year English student

Those who parent us as children are not always our mothers and fathers. They can be grandparents,
aunts and uncles, older siblings, or other adults who have taken on the parenting role. In this chapter, I
refer to those in the parenting role as the maternal figure and the paternal figure, but you can easily
substitute them for whomever was responsible for your care during your childhood.
The first time I gave these exercises to new speakers, I was not surprised by the flood of emotions
in the room when the students read out loud. Many of the students had never written about their parents
before, and they surely had never shared their feelings in a classroom. One student in particular (Ill call
her Johanna) wrote about her refusal to wear a dress on her twenty-first birthday. It was the beginning of a
dialogue with her mother whereby Johanna gently explained that she was a gay woman. When she and her
mother hugged, Johanna wrote, she felt fully loved and free of fear. The room remained silent as she
stopped reading to contain her emotions. A tissue was passed across the room to dry her tears. I was
concerned at first that she had revealed more than she wanted to, and that she would feel embarrassed
when we met later in the week for the next session. But my fears were alleviated when, at the end of the
day, Johanna thanked me for the opportunity to write and share her story.
After using the Doctor Method, not only did the students feel more confident about their English
skills, they were also finding their voices as writers, and the deep satisfaction that comes when others
empathize with our experiences.
Lets start with questions about the maternal figure, and then move on to exercises about the
paternal figure. With each exercise, try to recall a specific incident that illustrates your feelings, and tell
the story.

Maternal Figure

130. What was difficult for her?

131. What did she struggle with?

132. What did she love?

133. What did she look for in a husband or life partner? Were her needs met?
134. How much did she give to her husband or life partner?
135. Did she get the love she needed?

136. How did that affect your own choices?

137. What did she not want people to know about her?
138. What did she have to sacrifice?
139. What was her biggest fear?
 140. What made her feel alive?

141. Which of her qualities have become yours?

142. Did she notice your natural virtues?

143. What did she teach you about love?

144. Did she live her life through her children?
145. How did she show her love?
146. Did she nurture her identity as an independent woman, or did she see herself as wife and
mother?
147. What do you owe to your mothers love?

Paternal Figure
148. Did he get the love he needed?
149. How did that affect himand you?
150. How did he cope with disappointment?
151. What did he look for in a wife or life partner?
152. Were his needs met?

153. What was his relationship to money?

154. What did he teach you about success?

155. What was his secret fear?

156. What did he want most in his life?
157. What qualities of your paternal figure have become yours?
158. Did he find room in his heart to hear your voice?
159. Did he see the person you are or the person he wanted you to be?

161. How much did he expect of you?

162. Its been said, The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their
mother. Did he do this for you?
 Chapter Six:
The Nuclear Family

She has nine years, and cries into a white and soft handkerchief. First year English student

Your nuclear family is the family you lived with as a child. It consists of one or two parental
figures, any number of brothers and sisters, and perhaps grandparents or other relatives. As with the
previous chapters, respond to the exercises and tell the story. Be mindful of your increasing comfort with
English as you write.

163. What was the glue that held your family together?

164. What were the unspoken rules of your family?

165. What did your parents giveor not giveto each other?

166. Did your family divide into teams? Which side were you on?
167. What was your parents capacity for pleasure?
 168. What happenedor didnt happenbetween your parents that profoundly affected you?

169. How did they parent? With unconditional love? Obligation? Power?

170. Did your parents find the world a safe place? What did they teach you about other cultures?
171. What was forbidden in your home?
172. Did they share their truths with you, or hide them?
173. Did they love their children equally?

174. What did you learn from your grandparents?

Brothers and Sisters

175. Was there competition? Who supported it?

176. Did any of them have something you desperately wanted?

177. What qualities do you share?

178. How are you different?

179. How did they show their love?

180. Did you confide in them without fear of betrayal?

181. How did they help shape you?
 Chapter Seven:
Childhood Memories

The little girl grew up slowly but learned quickly. - First year English student

When you write about your childhood, you might find that long-forgotten memories flood to the
surface. Take advantage of this as you access moments from your youth. Are you ready to add dialogue?
Give it a try as the scene comes into focus and the stories begin to flow.

182. What do you remember most about your childhood home?

183. Do you carry your childhood with you?

184. Did you need to be extraordinary?

185. Were you encouraged to cry?

186. What is your earliest memory of injustice?
187. What frightened you?

188. Whose face do you see when you think of your childhood playmates?

189. What lesson from childhood did you bring into your adult life?

190. What is your earliest memory?

191. What did you want to be when you grew up?

192. Who believed in you the most? How did that shape you?

193. Did you yearn to visit foreign lands?

194. Were you encouraged to embrace solitude?
195. When did you feel most safe?
196. Did you fit in or feel out of step with your peers?
197. What was your first experience with death?

198. Were you encouraged to grow up quickly?

199. What was your relationship to the outdoors?
 Chapter Eight:
Romantic Relationships and Friendship

I have lost her polar mouth and arctic smile. Second year English student

Over the years, Ive found that my students love to write about their relationships with others,
whether its the joy of a close friendship, an exciting romance, or the betrayal of an ex-partner. Falling in
love, falling out of loveit all makes for a wonderful way to practice written communication.

200. Is there anything more important to you than love? What is it?
201. What do you see when you look into your partners eyes?
202. Who are you in the presence of your partner?

203. What do you need most from your partner?

204. Forgiveness: Does it come easily for you? For your partner?
205. When have your words enhanced the passion, and when have your words been barriers
against passion?
206. When have you noticed what you like and dislike in your partner without attaching
importance to your observations?

207. Is it more difficult to be loved or to love another fully?

208. When have you spoken your truths to your partner without fear of judgment?
209. When did your partner give you room to blossom as an individual?

210. Where does patience and compassion fit into your relationship?

211. When have you expressed to another person your need to be loved?
212. When did you face a fear of intimacy?
213. When has your partners happiness been more important than your own?

214. When have resentments hardened like cement?

215. Can you remember the first blush of love?
216. Are there still remnants of that first blush of love, or has it evaporated?

217. When have you hidden behind your partner in order to not face yourself?
218. Can you love freely, without fear?
219. When have you enjoyed doing nothing with another person?

220. How have you learned to love by simply loving?

221. Can you love yourself as much as you love your partner?

222. When have you been able to love without needing a reason for it?

223. Can you resist trying to correct your partners life?

 Chapter Nine:
Evolution and Epiphanies

I stoodstaring at the emptiness of time. First year English student

As we grow older, we see the world through a shift in perspective. These exercises are designed to
have you ponder where youve been, where you are today, and where you might be in the future. As you
write, notice what new words creep into your vocabulary.
224. What shades of gray do you now see where it was once black and white?

225. What is now important to you that wasnt before?

226. What is no longer important that once was?

227. When has an open mind been your greatest asset?

228. How much is enough?
229. Growing older brings detachment. From what are you detaching?
230. Can you embrace the thought of death?

231. Do you want to go back to your youth? Tell the story.

232. Are you your memories?
233. Do you cling to a former image of yourself?

234. How has your view of success changed?

235. What outer worlds do you still need to conquer?

236. Can you give up the accumulation of things?

237. How are you embracing the flow of time?

238. What will contentment look like as you get older?

 A Final Thought

While Im delighted to share my writing exercises in this book, its frustrating to not have the one-
on-one connection with new English speakers that I enjoy so much in the classroom. Id love to hear from
you with comments and suggestions. Perhaps youd like to share your feelings about the exercises, and
how they helped improve your English skills.
Feel free to email me through my website, www.lisadoctor.com
It is my great wish that new speakers of English and other languages can feel confident when
communicating their thoughts and feelings from the heart. I hope this book has and will continue to help
you and others achieve that goal.
 Acknowledgments

Id like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Erin Niumata and Annie Hwang at Folio Literary
Management for their guidance and support; to fine artist Pami Ozaki for her illustrations and cover art; to
authors Rachel Ballon and Leslie Lehr for their editorial wisdom; to my beloved family, Ron Doctor,
Andrew Lieberman and Jamie Lieberman for the joy and inspiration they bring to my life; and to the many
students Ive had the pleasure of working with, who willingly gave of themselves and their emotions as
they improved their English skills.