The Artist's Way

By: Julia Cameron

Libby audiobook 10 hours

Read by: Eliza Foss

Published: 1992 (this version 2021?)

Genre: non-fiction, sort of self-help

 

I confess that I did not finish this book . . . partly because of life events, partly because it didn't "speak" to me, and partly because I requested it quite a few months ago and I don't want to wait to get it again (long waiting list!) I enjoyed it but didn't really want to commit to it. Here are the notes I made on the first few chapters.

 

 The Morning Pages

• daily
• 3 pages long hand
• stream of consciousness
• "brain drain"
• nothing too silly, petty, etc.
• just write
• silence your inner censor
• don't skip or skimp
• feed your inner creative child
• fill three pages right away in the morning

 

The Artist's Date

• a time for receiving
• be open to insight or inspiration
• two hour chunks once a week
• preplanned "play date"
• just you and your inner child

She was starting to talk about writing a contract when I stopped listening. I love the morning pages, because I like to write. I liked some of what she was saying about how helpful these things can be, whether you see yourself as an artist or not. The book is really set up to be like an eight (?) week class. I just don't have this as a priority right now.

 

I had to dig through my pile of "recommendations" that I have kept. Lynne Heuton, a quilter friend, recommended this book to me. I used to get rid of the scrap of paper as soon as I requested a book but it bugged me to think "who wanted me to read this?" so now I hang on to them! One day, I'll just get rid of all the scraps of paper, but not today. So many books, so little time . . .  I don't really see Lynne any more, so I can't talk with her about this but that's okay. Perhaps I'll pick this book up in my sixties or seventies and do some introspection.