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I'm doing great with my morning pages and the general routine. I was only able to get one solo walk in this week because it's been rainy when I was available, but I have an artist date planned for this afternoon. I also look forward to the morning writing and I plan to keep that up no matter what.

I felt the same as you did, Amy. Parts of this chapter were interesting and thought provoking but other sections didn't resonate for me at all. I think what I dislike the most about Cameron's writing advice is that it's very rigid. She seems to think that because these things work for her they MUST work for everyone. There doesn't seem to be room for flexibility.

I haven't done any of the tasks, but I probably will eventually follow through with at least some of them. I am definitely planning to name my inner critic and I think I'm going to draw a sketch as well. For me, I think naming it and having a visual will be a useful tool in dealing with it.

We all struggle with jealousy! Especially for creative people, I think the inner critic and comparing ourselves, what we have, and our skill, to others, is awful and terrifying. Seeing it as an opportunity for growth is an interesting take and something I've been thinking about.

As for synchronicity, I asked the universe via morning pages for a promotion and a raise and I'm still waiting. Maybe next week? 🤣

As always, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Amy! I'm so happy to be following along on this little journey. 😀

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Thank you for this. I laughed out loud at the end, but I also so understand the rest of it. Because I am "leading" this read-along, I'm trying so hard to temper my comments (after my first week that felt very transparent and probably off-putting). But, I hear you. The "rigidity" is spot-on with a lot of why I have trouble with this book. In everything I do and advocate, I am always SO aware that things will work differently for so many people and that people have to find a way to make a system their own. See.... if you don't get that promotion and raise, what does it mean? Because she says absolutely that these things happen. (I'm hoping you do though.) I am glad you are enjoying the morning writing. Me, too.

And I really love knowing that naming the critic and sketching it are on your radar..... those aren't things I "can" do, but it really inspires me to see how other readers and artists approach that idea. While I can't give it form (although I think you are right that a visual will be awesome), the discussions of the inner critic have really prompted me to think/write a lot about some of this and peel away some layers in recent weeks.

I would actually encourage looking at the tasks this week..... I do think a few of them were interesting to think through in terms of what you've commented on here.

I have known you through the dress challenge and your art and now your daily graphic novel series..... and I am REALLY happy to also be getting a chance to know you better through this read-along. (Plus, we now get to draw together, which I love.) Thank you..... for showing back up here in this book and process - and for being candid.

Hoping for synchronicity for both of us :)

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I struggled this week as I had difficulties getting out of bed which completely messed up my morning routine. However, I managed to do the pages except for one day and that felt weird (I cannot think of another word.) Another day, I did them in the evening which was good but it is a different experience.

I agree with Trish that Julia comes across as rigid and strict. I have to remind myself that things might work differently for me or don’t resonate for me and that that is totally valid and fine. I continued my approach of skimming over parts that are testimonials and repetitions and so. This works well and I can really focus on the sections that are new or relevant for me.

I also thought the section about jealousy was very interesting. Doing the task about jealousy made me realize that, often, when I am aware that I am jealous, I recognize it and dismiss it with ‘no need to be jealous’. It was good to take the time to analyze what is really behind it and how I can turn it into something positive.

Just like Amy and Trish, I haven’t experienced synchronicity. I am patiently waiting :)

About the section ‘Asking for Guidance’. I think that a lot of people figure things out writing their pages. The way how you do that, I think, is very personal. What works for me is having discussions on the pages without specifically addressing something or someone.

Thank you for this read-along. I enjoy reading the reflections and comments!

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I appreciate reading your thoughts about what is and isn't working, and I also appreciate hearing how "asking for guidance" works for you. I agree, it's personal, but the time we spend with our pages each day does give us time to put some things down.... and I think also invites us to do some problem solving, planning, troubleshooting, etc. .... There is potential good in this for all of us.

I hope you have a better week ahead in terms of health, but it's great that you still fit in your pages on many days. (I saw a funny story from Cameron today at Instagram about "evening pages"..... ) I'm so glad you are reading along - and having all of you comment here gives ALL of us additional insight and perspective, which I think is really valuable.

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Interesting how she notes the jealousy-fear (of scarcity) connection and the emphasis on honesty for revealing what can/should be written about. Since I’ve read her other book, The Artist’s Way m, some of the rigid or underlined concepts in this book seem to make more sense ... the notion of synchronicity seems to me like you’ll follow / chase after / likely make gains re: what you focus on. I like the idea of trying to pursue honesty in writing. I think this book is a good kick start to a writing habit but maybe hasn’t been the best/most focused time for me to start the six week challenge. This week I met one day of quota, and inconsistent morning pages again. Back at it for week 4. Thanks for sharing your experiences/reactions, everyone on this thread.

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Even if it ended up not being the perfect six week span, I'm sure that what you are reading will continue to simmer and be of use when you are ready. I think sometimes no matter what the content really is, that we are all hyper-focused on both morning writing AND (some of us) working on some form of longer project or daily quota means we are more productive, more attuned to our process and what works for us, and more engaged in our own writing overall. That may or may not be attributable to the actual content.... but it's still good. Just knowing we're reading something that we will then talk about has a built-in x-factor I think.... we pay attention differently. I'm glad you are finding things you enjoy even as a refresh of the AW.

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I continue to be grateful to be walking through this book with such a thoughtful group. Amy, thank you for staying committed to trudge through the second half of this book. I am enjoying the process of reading the group’s thoughts and takeaways so much more than Cameron’s writing! This week’s chapter is full of good ideas & the tasks she presents are really effective tools. My issue in this chapter is that she is presenting this as if they are HER ideas and her own special creation. Julia Cameron has clearly spent a lot of time in the rooms of 12-step recovery. These tasks…especially this week’s…feel a bit appropriated to me. The concept of task one is a practice called two-way prayer that was certainly not Cameron’s idea. It is the basis of the 11th step & I believe it comes from the Oxford group which predates AA as a fellowship. Having read several of her books, I am struck by the fact that so much of the content is either “brochure fodder” testimonials or repurposed step work she learned from those who got sober before her. In 12-step recovery, members are encouraged to place “principles before personalities” so I am trying to stay open minded and embrace the “take what you like and leave the rest behind” attitude for the second half of this journey. I’m doing this for the community that is created while working through this book together more than to find some magical answers to creative questions. I have loved the daily practice of writing Morning Pages for several years. I have forged some lovely new friendships with people through dissecting these books & this practice. I think much if what Julie presents in all of her books is good content. I struggle with her rigidity & privilege. And I find it interesting how full of self she is while she regurgitates the principles of a program whose core principle is to give away what has been freely given to you. On to chapter 4. (And glad you chose a 6 week book instead of a 12 week one)

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I love it that all of you make me laugh out loud as I read the final lines of your posts. I appreciate your feedback on this chapter so far, and I also find interesting the insight you are providing about the connections to the 12-step process.

I do know that even though many of us have similar responses to some of what we are reading, we all seem to be benefitting from whatever form of morning writing we are doing in tandem with this reading, and that's an awesome thing.

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... laying tracks... let me dive into Chapter three.... I' keep up. Just a moment.

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Hi, all,

One of the (many) drawbacks of ebooks is that you can’t chuck the book across the room in frustration. Yes, there’s fodder to mull and ponder here, but so much of it is write-by-numbers. I guess you can do that when you are a proven, salable commodity like Julia Cameron.

I really thought that I didn't have an issue with jealousy. It's like the time when I was an education reporter, and some speaker was talking about cheating. He says, you've all cheated, haven't you? And I was thinking, un, no, I never did because I never had to.

Well, it's the same thing about jealousy. I don't need to be jealous. BUT, I am jealous of Julia, Cameron. She gets a pass on having to craft her writing or her message. She can just write whatever she wants, and we're supposed to lap it up. All those mentions of “Little One” make me cringe. She’s like, all Disney.

Still, I am sticking with the program because I value Amy and I value the rest with you and I value the process. I am doing the morning pages every day, often not the first thing in the morning, because MS makes it difficult for me to arrange my day that way. I have had to pull back on the other writing project. I’m no longer trying to write a poem every day, because, frankly, the quality suffered. And I have the Substack weekly to work on.

I struggle with the artist's dates, largely because it's been very rainy here and I need to get out in my big old power wheelchair. Maybe my weekly practice of reading my Substack to other residents here in assisted living who can’t see or don’t use the Internet can count as an artist's date.

I have been supercharged with writing for Substack. The issue I'm currently working on is about noticing, how all the little increments of your daily life become a mosaic that at some point defines you.

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"write-by-number" :)

Thank you for commenting here and letting us know how it is going. I think you can tell from the comments that a lot of us are circling around similar feelings and responses to this reading.... I do appreciate that you are sticking with it for the group aspect.... I'm sticking with it, too, because I told all of you I would show up. It isn't ideal, but maybe we are at least thinking more about our writing or finding something unexpected as we dig into our own methods and how our personalities, too, are playing out in some of these issues.

I am glad you are doing what you can do..... I read your substack last night, so I also read about your morning, and I am glad that you are up front with yourself and finding a workable approach and also restructuring what you want to do or not do. I also know how much time the weekly substack takes. I really, really, really hear you on that. And I think the writing for that is absolutely a project of its own.

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I’m curious if anyone needed the “I want to write about” exercise. I have a list of 100+ topics in a file called WAM, which stands for Write About Me. Yet so many ideas come to me every week that I seldom dip into it.

Amy,, I don’t know how you keep up the Substack and Instagram and the podcast and still have time to add thoughtful replies to our comments, but they are so appreciated!

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Like you, I draw from the world around me.... I always have something to say. But I think some writers, especially in other genres, may find it helpful to keep and nurture a list. (It might be a way they "start" keeping the kind of file you have....) A list can sometimes also help clarify what is most pressing.... what is really the thing someone wants to focus on right now out of whatever group of things come to the top with such an exercise.

(And thank you. I consider replies and feedback important..... I really try! I also believe we can all work together to make people feel seen and heard.)

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Dear all, here I am with my thoughts on Ch3. Before you start reading this I am not sure if I used the right words on this. Have I overreacted on what I understand out of Ch3?. Anyway, to me Chapter 3 has it all but I believe not all of the subjects in chapters 1 and 2 are topics to which one is attracted. I think of it more as a choice of options.

Nevertheless, "Trust your process ' grants explanations which in psychology are called transformation. Transformation is needed to grow. Personally, I like the list and thus the choice of what blocks, endangers or just promotes our writing process. I too have already been able to resolve two issues. I was even amazed about my discovery. I am a very reflective person already because of my profession. Still, there seems to be something I haven't noticed yet! First, she is asking for guidance which is equivalent to the inner child work. For some quite helpful especially in finding the inner critic voice. The subject 'Syncronicity is the uncanny meshing of our inner and outer worlds', prompts me to ask what she means? When the 'inner world' is a healthy one, when wounds from the past have been able to heal, we are authentic. Authenticity leads to the inner world merging with the outer world. It is often said: 'In the right place at the right time'. But does writing, being a good author, really have to do solely with transformation? Furthermore, the subject of jealousy. 'All writers experience jealousy'. Oh, what's wrong with me, I thought. I'm not jealous of anyone else's success. On the contrary, it drives me. Again, I can say, a generalization can also create insecurity. Cameron works a lot with psychological techniques to build her tool-kit which is helping the aspiring author succeed. Looking forward to Ch4.

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I appreciate seeing your comments, Marion! I am glad that you are enjoying this discussion. I would say that even while some of the words being used are borrowed from other areas.... I don't know that they are fully grounded.

I'm not sure if you are asking a question about how we interpret her use of synchronicity or not.... I think the quote you have here that defines synchronicity _is_ how I think it is defined and used in this book..... (even if it may not match up to the psychology you are linking to based on her use of the phrase "inner world").

Overall it sounds like you are enjoying what you are reading. That it is generating thought, maybe answers, and insight for you.... is great!

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Too much knowledge coming in my way.... still wondering what Cameron is asking for when she is talking about if we experienced synchronicity. I needed to dig deep in my students books to find ground in what she was saying on pg 96. In case I have understood now what synchronicity should be let me give you an example what has happened to me the other day. If everything is fine I will get a puppy by the end of this month. However, on March 28. I woke up and was wondering if the puppies have been born now. In my dream I saw one of the puppies running through my living room. In the afternoon the same day I received an Whats'App chat and video about the puppies while they were born. THIS is synchronicity in Cameron's understanding?! If I am right. I often walk through the children's book store or museums and here we go I have ideas on what to write about. The worse I never write it down. Should start jotting this down before it is gone. And now off to Week 5 and perfectionism. I am sure you know already 'who' I am - haha the perfect perfectionist. Think I had mentioned it somewhere already. Thank you for reading my post and you all have a good start into this week.

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