When we are blocked creatively, we often experience ourselves as miserable—and we then wonder, “How neurotic am I?” Thinking that therapy will supply that answer, or at least alleviate our misery, we often turn to therapy only to find that our misery continues unabated. Of course it does. We are miserable not because we are […]
The Bedrock Tool of The Artist’s Way: Morning Pages
Morning Pages are the primary tool of a creative recovery. From my perspective they are the bedrock of a creative life. Three pages stream-of-consciousness writing done before the day “begins,” Morning Pages serve to prioritize, clarify, and ground the day’s activities. Frequently fragmented, petty, even whining, Morning Pages were once called “brain drain” because they […]
Artists Don’t Retire
As Picasso remarked, “Every child is born an artist. The trick is remaining one as an adult.” Passion, commitment, and most of all, the courage to be a beginner, are the qualities that it takes—and qualities that are well within our grasp. Recently I had dinner with an artist friend. Now sixty-seven, he still works […]
Is it possible to work on more than one project at a time?
If you are writing Morning Pages, and then working later on a project, you are already writing more than one idea. While I have found Morning Pages plus a project to be a satisfying amount of writing, I have also occasionally worked on still more. For my purposes, I find that it is the type […]
Morning Pages: FAQ
My #1 tip for creative unblocking is a tool I have taught— and used— for three decades: Morning Pages. Morning pages are three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness morning writing, for your eyes only, done as quickly upon waking as possible. These pages do not have to be “good writing.” There is no wrong way to […]
It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again: What to Expect
It’s Never too Late to Begin is a twelve-week course for anyone who wishes to expand their creativity. It is not meant only for “declared” artists. It is aimed at those transitioning into the second act of life— leaving one life behind, and heading into one yet to be created. For some, this may mean […]
The Wish to be Original
The root of the word “original” is origin. We are the origin of our work. It is the ego’s demand that our work be totally original-— as if such a thing were possible. All work is influenced by other work. All people are influenced by other people. No man is an island and no piece […]
Saying “thank you”
We like to believe we must make things happen. We also like to believe we can’t. This means we worry about our powerlessness and get steeped in our own bitterness. The truth is, we are meant to co-create. In other words, we both make things happen and let things happen; we imagine and then we […]
Love in the DMZ
This month marks the release of my novella collection. I’m thrilled to share this work! Love in the DMZ represents writing at its most intimate. The stories of the book are told in lovers’ letters. It brings the reader a unique sense of secrecy, as if spying on the relationships at hand. For me as […]
Morning Pages– why in the morning?
“Julia,” I am often asked, “Must the Morning Pages be done in the morning?” “Yes,” I answer. “They must be done in the morning.” Why? We are aiming to catch ourselves before our ego is awake, before its defenses are in place. We want to be vulnerable. If we wait to do pages late in […]
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