By now, our regular readers have heard us talk about The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. If this is your first time, Dear Reader, hello, and welcome. I’m A. Catherine Noon, one of your hosts here at the Writer’s Retreat, and I thought I’d kick off the A-Z Blog Challenge by talking about one of my favorite tools.
I first encountered The Artist’s Way in 1995 while living on a sabbatical in Mount Shasta, California. I had left my urban, corporate life behind in search of becoming a writer. A client for whom I was doing some office work had the book and recommended I borrow it.
I still have that original copy, well-loved and falling apart, filled with notes of two decades’ worth of experience.
While there are many amazing things about The Artist’s Way, the part that most deeply changed my life, or at least the part I’m most aware of today, is that I’ve been journaling almost daily since I started. I’d been a diarist before then, off and on, but never took it seriously. Quite by accident, I’ve become a serious diarist who is never without a journal in which to think, relax, play, work, rest, rage, and write.
Above all, write.
I have learned that one does not become a writer, one is born one. Sometimes, whether by childhood trauma, societal prohibition, or simple lack of awareness, one has to remember oneself and recover one’s creativity. But we are, all of us, creative.
Comments
15 responses to “A Is For… The Artist’s Way”
I'm adding this to my Goodreads list right now. And you're right, one is born a writer and develops the talent by writing every day. Saying hi from the A to Z Challenge!
Amen! I really appreciate your introduction to this. Happy writing!
I love The Artist's Way. I've had it for years and I've written Morning Pages for years. It's a great book. Thanks for the reminder. I should get it out again and look through it for inspiration to get a little writing done today.
Hi, Darla! I'm so pleased that you came with me on the journey! Can you believe it's been what, five years now? 🙂
Hi, Lauren! You're very welcome here. I hope you enjoy the book; it's a life changer. 🙂
Hi, Suzanne! I agree, do some writing today. 🙂 Maybe even some blogging, for the challenge. Hey, whatever gets us on that page, eh? 🙂
Hello Catherine, it is my first time here and great to meet you. And thanks for participating in A to Z!
Hi, Stephen! Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to comment!
We love writing! Thanks for the book suggestion. Good start to the A to Z Challenge!
My mother gave me this book many years ago when she intuitively knew I was stuck creatively. I cherish it.
I will definately have to put this book in my 'to read' list. I'd have to say the tool that has helped me most in my path to becoming a published author is my critique group
I joined the Artist's Way eight years ago because of you, Ms. Noone and have never looked back. I would have to say the journals are the tool that has kept me writing. And having the built in friendship of my writing friends. Thank you for the introduction to something so life changing and helpful. E
Well, Tess, I'm so glad you came along the Way with me. My life is richer because of it! So it was definitely a mutually beneficial arrangement. 🙂
funny we were sitting around last night talking about when we did the artists way me and two of the grownup daughters a few years ago and how much it pushed our creativity and how valuable those morning pages were and one of the girls has got into them again and I am thinking that tomorrow morning I will do the same and infact we think we might revisit
the course….
sometimes my room is a writers retreat but just now HE has come in for an afternoon nap and snoring – oh well another day perhaps…
Hi, Sandra! I agree, the morning pages are a great help to creativity. When the Hes of the world are snoring, I've found that noise-canceling earphones are a great help. 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment; we're glad you're here!