I am a bit shocked that I hadn’t yet written a review on The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, for how profound of an impact it has had on my life this year. Perhaps that is why—it felt too personal or too close or like I was still in the thick of it, even though I finished reading/working through the book months ago.

I bought the 25^th edition right after I quit my full-time job in January. The title had been recommended to me by my former boss when I told him I wanted to quit six months prior to that. Funny how life works.

Before opening the cover, I had few expectations other than the knowledge that I would be writing every morning as part of the practice. Many, many, many artists (authors, journalists, screenwriters, actors, painters, designers, chefs, bloggers, etc.) have used The Artist’s Way over the years to jump start (or re-start) their creative flow. I followed people on Instagram who talked about “morning pages” and had heard a few people speak about “artist dates” but I had no real grounded idea of what I was getting into. But, quitting the stability of a full-time job to write a novel, a book of poetry, paint and invest in my small business seemed like the right circumstances in which to seek some help and guidance.

Enter: Julia Cameron and her infinite wisdom.

You can read all about the motivations and methods behind The Artist’s Way if you’re interested—I really do highly recommend everyone going through the book, whether you consider yourself an artist or not. The process of giving oneself the space to think, reflect and then act is incredibly valuable, even if you never “create” anything. The key takeaway that so heavily influenced my art and creative process was the concept of creative abundance. Even beyond that, the availability of creative abundance for anyone and everyone.

The more I’ve traveled and engaged in different cultures, the more I’ve realized that there is no limit on the amount of creativity that can occur in the world. What a freeing concept in a society that puts enormous emphasis on competitive advantage and the need to hold a majority’s high regard! Julia’s book backs that idea up with countless examples and exercises to encourage the artist in their journey by stimulating various levels of creative action. Additionally, she credits the natural ability to create to the creator of the universe—something I found incredibly comforting as a believer in God.

Although the book is written in a way to be worked through over 12-weeks and asks the reader to participate in reflective journaling activities, the focus is less on self-help and more on self-discovery. The goal is to allow oneself to tap into the creative abundance that is already available by establishing simple habits which promote artistic freedom.

“Become willing to see the hand of God and accept it as a friend’s offer to help with what you are doing. Because many of us unconsciously harbor the fearful belief that God would find our creations decadent or frivolous or worse, we tend to discount this creator-to-creator help. Try to remember that God is the Great Artist. Artists like other artists.”

The Artist’s Way (2016) p. 119

There are no magic pills for artistic success, and as I’m sure Julia would tell you, no amount of morning pages or artist dates will guarantee health, wealth or happiness. I had to put in a lot of time and effort to completing my novel and book of poetry, assembling pieces for my first art show (coming January 2024) and navigating the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. But, investing in yourself and your craft is a goal worth pursuing—and one worth buying this book!

This book may be for you if you also like: changing your life.

Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/109412/9780143129257
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SDG