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Writer's pictureWriters' Block

Julia Cameron's tools for writers


Picture credit: Julia Cameron Live

Julia Cameron is an artist who is widely known for her works as a novelist, playwright, poet and teacher. Her book, The Artist's Way is a twelve-week course that helps you gain back your creative senses. It was published for all creatives alike. The book comprises exercises and tools that will not only help a writer better their skill but also understand themselves as a creative.


In her words:

Many of us wish we were more creative. Many of us sense we are more creative, but unable to effectively tap that creativity.

The book will take you through a 12-week course that is a guide aimed to help writers tackle underlying problems such as limiting beliefs about themselves, self-confidence, guilt, jealousy and other factors that may be blocking the creative process.


Picture credits: Pavithra Prabhu

The 12-hour-long course is easy to follow. The concepts, exercises and tasks are explained in simple language. Cameron also explains the reasoning behind these exercises.


There are two tools that are helpful and easy to incorporate into your life:


It is the daily ritual of writing three pages of long-form writing using stream consciousness. But what is stream of consciousness? It is when you write what comes to your mind. You might skip from writing about your morning chores to ranting about your work. There are no rules about what and how you should write. You must simply write. During this exercise, observe how you talk to yourself and how you talk about yourself. This is important because we can identify our own limiting beliefs -"Morning pages teach the logic brain to stand aside and let the artist brian play." Remember these simple rules, three pages of stream of consciousness and read them only after a month has passed.

Artist dates are solo dates that will help you spend quality time with yourself. Morning pages and artist dates go hand in hand. Planning an artist date is when you nurture yourself after identifying your limiting beliefs, lack of self-confidence and anger that you find in your morning pages. It is important that we make time for ourselves and go on a long walk, explore an antique shop, or go on a solo date for a cup of coffee just to feel brave. These are small brownie points you can give yourself for doing what you've always wanted to do. By nurturing yourself, you are also nurturing your creativity - "Art is born in attention. Its mid-wife is detail."

The Artist's Way takes on a spiritual approach to creativity. It does not aim to resolve your creative blocks with an equation but rather by getting to the root of it. The book is recommended to creatives who are facing a block. The course can be completed over a period of time according to your convenience. A better approach would be to partner with your writer friends and complete the course together.


The book is available on Amazon. Alternatively, visit Julia Cameron Live for more information.


Leave a comment below if you have practised morning pages and have been on artist dates Share your experience with other aspiring writers.

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