The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal

The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal
by Julia Cameron

The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal
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Book Summary Information

Author: Julia Cameron
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-12-29
ISBN: 0874778867
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Tarcher

Book Reviews of The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal

Book Review: I purchased it without reading the book first
Summary: 4 Stars

A therapist actually recommended that I check out the Artist's Way and write morning pages. She did warn me that there's a religious bent to it, and that type of thing puts me off in general, so I skipped the book and went for the Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal.

It does have an explanation of how the morning pages work, and your weekly artist's date. The journal itself is broken down by week, each week has a one page basic summary of what you're supposed to focus on that week, and provides 3 lined pages per day to write. There are quotes from "The Artist's Way" book itself scattered throughout.

I am under the impression however that you're supposed to write about your artist date in addition to the morning pages, and I've seen weekly summaries mentioned by other people. There is not room provided for this, nor is it mentioned in the book (I'm on week two, so perhaps it comes up later, but I doubt it).

Unlike some reviewers I'm glad that the book isn't spiral bound, I hate those things, they always get bent and I somehow end up with pages falling out. I'm a bit rough on things. It's a bit awkward to write in, but not awful. Just lie the whole thing flat on a table. The surface of the paper is rough, but I like writing on it.

I broke down after the second week and purchased "The Artist's Way" (10th edition) to clarify the things I was wondering about. It did help a lot, however there are also exercises to do each week in addition to the morning pages and the artist's dates. I find that a bit overwhelming actually.

There is also a workbook version of "The Artist's Way" with just the exercises and blank space under them to write. Personally I'd like a full book with lined space for the exercises and morning pages and whatnot all in one place. Perhaps with (re)movable (and/or addable) pages. I understand though that it could be a rather unwieldy book.

I'm actually wondering if I should write "night pages". The morning pages are meant to unload your mind so you can get through the day more efficiently without being dragged down by the dreck in your head. But at night my mind is spinning and I can't sleep. I don't know if I keep doing the morning pages if that will clear up too, or I need to write more at night!

Summary of The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal

Julia Cameron keeps row after row of journals on the wooden bookcase in her writing room, all containing Morning Pages from more than twelve years of her life. The journals, she says, listen to her. They have been company on travels, and she is indebted to them for consolation, advice, humor, sanity. Now the bestselling author of The Artist's Way offers readers the same companion, in which we may discover ourselves, our fears and aspirations, and our life's daily flow. Readers will find privacy, a portable writing room, where our opinions are for our own eyes. Morning Pages prioritize the day, providing clarity and comfort. With an introduction and instructions on how to use this journal, by Julia Cameron, readers will uncover the history of their spirits as they move their hands across the universe of their lives.

The idea behind Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way is that by writing three pages, longhand and stream-of consciousness, first thing in the morning, you can overcome the obstacles that stop you from becoming your most creative self. This works partly because it forces you to create something (even if it is just a long list of gripes) every single day. It doesn't take much time. You're not even supposed to think. But the act itself gets you past all that self-defeating fretting about why you think you aren't a creative person. Cameron sees her morning pages as "a form of meditation," as "spiritual windshield wipers."

While Cameron touts the morning pages as a way of life, she suggests you start out doing them as part of a "twelve-week program to recover your creativity." If you would like to keep your first twelve weeks of morning pages together in one tidy place, The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal is a fine tool for doing so. Each nearly blank page features an inspiring quotation from The Artist's Way: "Leap, and the net will appear," says one; "Creativity lies not in the done but in doing," reminds another. We should mention that many of these little inspirations include references to God, which may be troublesome even for spiritual atheists. --Jane Steinberg

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