The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Val Penny ♦ July 22, 2014 ♦ 1 Comment

The Artist’s Way was recommended to me by my cousin, Jean at a time when I was finding it very difficult to focus on my writing.  It was published in 1992 and is a book to cheer you on when you feel like you can only dream about your passion (writing, painting, drawing…) because the dog needs a walk and the kids need a bath, the dishes need done and you have bills to pay so you just come home from a job that took you from the house and back to it without real personal progress.

Julia Cameron was born on 4 March 1948 in Libertyville, Illinois, USA. She was married to the American film director Martin Scorsese.  Cameron has been an active artist for more than thirty years, with fifteen books to her credit. She has been writing since the age of 18, Cameron has also written a long list of screenplays and teleplays, these include an episode of Miami Vice, and Elvis and the Beauty Queen, which starred the American Don Johnson. She was also a writer on such movies as Taxi Driver, New York, New York, and The Last Waltz. Her profound teachings on unlocking creativity and living from the creative center have inspired countless artists and writers to unleash their full potential. I am a bit embarrassed that I had not come across this book myself because The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity.

It is an international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to the discipline of an artist’s life. It is a provocative and inspiring work.  Julia Cameron, in the introduction, reflects upon the impact of  The Artist’s Way.  She also describes the work she has done and the new insights into the creative process that she has gained recently. This book did wonders to open me up creatively. I was struggling to shake off some negative programming about being a writer, and this book (along with my cousin) helped give me permission to explore that side of myself.

Since that time, I no longer accept completely a number of the book’s ideas, but  it contains some good material in the form of useful exercises and uplifting stories about creative development. The Artist’s Way is not really a book to read. It is a book to do. It promises major life changes in 13 weeks and it delivered that for me.  I was desperate to find a way to make a living as a writer and decided to give this my best shot. The Artist’s Way changed my life.  I highly recommend it.

Valerie Penny