I recently completed the 12-week book on my own, and I think that it was very well put together. I was already on my way to discovering a few of the main drivers in the book, but it would have taken me many years to collect them. I have been inspired by this book, and it has helped me work through things, instead of ignoring big problems with my creative process and trying to push them aside. A few of the reviews haven't been so kind for this book, which is okay. It is really hard to surrender to anything - it's hard to let go and give in to something. And I don't mean God or Christianity (which is the author's personal belief system which also influences a lot of the book) necessarily - I mean a process - put in place to help. It's hard to just do it, and be open to what this book can do and what can happen. That being said, I didn't agree with everything written in the book. It's not like it's The Creative Process Bible or anything (so don't feel like it's that way or the highway or anything). Sure, for a couple of the exercises I just wrote "eh, that's okay" instead of doing them, and many of the exercise questions were obviously trying to lead you in one direction. But I think that's hardly a reason to throw this book to the birds. First, if you're considering doing this but aren't sure, read "The Artist's Way Questions and Answers" in the back of the book (page 205 in the 10th Anniversary Edition that I had), and you'll get a really good idea of what you'll be doing every day, every week, and Julia Cameron's philosophical approach to her book. And finally, if you decide to do it, do it all. If you're like me, you barely finish anything and it takes a hell of a lot of energy to complete something - and sheesh a 12 week long thing? But, at least for me, the 12 weeks went by in a flash and I really looked forward to the readings and exercises, and was so enthusiastic with the kind of creativity this book helped me to find and produce. Enjoy it. When it gets frustrating and you don't have the time, deal with it. Skip a day. Come back and do a morning page and you'll inevitably write until you get to the bottom of why you are frustrated and skipped a day. It's a process, and it doesn't have to be perfect. Have FUN!
What do You think about The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity (2002)?
I read this ages ago when my mother gave me a copy for my daughter. I read it before I gave it to her and I credit the practice of Morning Pages with giving me the strength I needed to get a divorce. I definitely needed the emotional push.Years later, I led a book group on this book and we had a wonderful time working through the book, growing closer as a group and feeling stronger in our individual ways of being artistic.Years later, my mother suggested we read through it together and I once again had to take it back from my daughter. My mother and I would check in with one another once a week, occasionally taking two weeks to finish a single chapter. We both had a great time (although I found the exercises not as helpful the third time through).The first time I read the book, I didn't try to do everything Cameron suggests. Rather, I marked the exercises I had not completed and later, when I read through the book a second time, I took the time to do some of the exercises I had skipped the first time around. For anyone who wants to heal, to recover (from whatever!), to find strength and especially for anyone who wants to really explore the power and empowerment of journaling, this book is a must read. I love it. I gave it back to my daughter after borrowing it twice. I hope she finds it as exciting and fulfilling as I have.
—Satia
I picked up this book from the library when a friend of mine asked a group of us to go through the book with her. The Artist's Way is designed to be worked through over 12 weeks. Because it was a library book, I did it in six. My friends had started the book a few weeks before me but I still think I finished first. The concept is to learn how to nurture your creative side and avoid creative blocks. I had picked up the book years ago but it didn't make an impression. I don't think I took it seriously. This time, I found I wanted to recommend it to everyone I know. Even though I did it in half the time and didn't quite do everything, I gave it a lot of effort. It's a great book but it's not perfect. I did notice that it had a way of bringing to light the weirdest issues. The first time I read it, I had a real problem with Julia Cameron's use of God. Looking back, that was a time I was working through my own issues of faith. A friend of mine has the same issue but she also took issue with Julia Cameron's use of twelve step programs. This was something that no one else noticed making us wonder where the issue for her lies. For me, I struggled with some of the more old fashioned wording. I am a woman in my thirties with a lot of future left. I struggled with Julia Cameron's questions like "If it wasn't too late, I would...." For me, it's not too late. I want to live in the now - not the past or the future. There's an issue there but I can't say what it is but it gives me something to explore. I read a number of reviews of this book and find that you really have to be in the right place for this book to be helpful and, sadly, it's a place of recovery. The book is designed to help those recover from their blocks but it's a hard place to pull out of. I can understand why - Julia Cameron wrote this as a substitute to her workshops. The problem is that a workshop is more supportive than a book. I can picture that people use the book alone without support of others. You need a sounding board and someone to hold your hand when it gets too tough. You need accountibility that just doesn't come with a book. I do recommend this book and have been contemplating using it to start my own workshops in my area but I don't recommend going it alone. Find other creative beings who want to work through it as well. It doesn't matter if they have blocks or not - there's still things to be learned. I start this book over (I bought a copy for my husband) next week and plan on working through it with my husband so that he can discover the tools to prevent creative blocks as he starts his own blogs and persues his own dreams.
—Sara Thompson
A friend told me she was doing the 'Artist Way', and asked me to do it with her. I figured, why not.As an aspiring writer, the book, definatly had some appeal, but kind of lost me as I progressed through it. It's obviously written for people who are not 'artists' per say, but would like to be. The first chapter was about overcoming mental obstacles (like being afriad that you'll become poor and get AIDS from being an artist...).It's also a very kind of spiritual 'new age' type of books, i.e. Art is from God and it flows through you, you are a beautiful vessel, etc...Regardless, each chapter gives you different exercises to do for the week, to become more creative and open yourslef up, some are good, and some are kind of ridiclous. The hardest thing the book challenges you to do is write at least 3 pages a day, free writing, by hand, right after you wake up. Which was suprisingly hard. I struggled for the first month, but after that I enjoyed actually writing every day.I don't actually do the morning pages anymore, but would start them up again later.It wasn't a complete wash, but the book wasn't really written for people who studied creative writing in college.
—Tj
