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Summary: Creativity for all -- not just for artists
Review: Cameron's Artists Way is an unusual workbook. It purports to help "artists" to recover, but if one takes her by the hand and walks with her through the process that she outlines in the book, week by week, one finds that artists are not the only ones led to recovery. She certainly warns us about that in the introduction, but skeptics beware. This could actually change your life. However, you have to, in the words of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, "be it." You have to do the Morning Pages and the artist dates, and the exercises. But they are helpful, and they do work. I'm an academic; and I will tell you that I do my best writing (on historical topics) when I am working through this book. Cameron's work frees me to reinterpret my work and world playfully, and joyfully. And can't we all use more of that. P.S.: you might find you are spiritual after all... This is a wonderfully, playfully, joyfully deceptively dangerous book. Do not read it, unless you are willing to have your entire world change for the better.
Rating: 
Summary: A workbook for creativity
Review: I enjoyed much of what Julia Cameron has to say in 'The Artist's Way' on the topic of creativity. Personally, I like reading "real life" success stories, and she shares many examples of her clients who were able to tap into their own creative reservoirs through the use of some of her exercises. I also feel Ms. Cameron rather accurately describes the stages that take place in the creative process. She described how one goes through "alternating waves of resistance and hope..." followed by "...a strong urge to abandon the process and return to life as we know it."Her exercises and assignments are tools that she has found useful in keeping the momentum going so as not to give up on a dream. Although the book seems to focus on the types of careers typically thought of as "artistic" (herself being a writer, after all!), Ms. Cameron's ideas and suggestions apply to anyone from any walk of life. If you are feeling blocked in any creative process, her book could be useful. You can choose to systematically do each exercise chapter by chapter, or randomly open the book and ponder the words of whatever page you are on (as I did). 'The Artist's Way' brought to my mind the works of three other inspiring authors, whom I feel I must mention and also recommend. One is Barbara Sher, who has recently written 'It's Only Too Late if You Don't Start Now - How to Create Your Second Life After 40.' I have not yet read it, but recently saw Ms. Sher on public television. She stresses how important it is to do whatever you love to do NOW, even if only in the smallest of increments. She doesn't necessarily advise people into throwing away their current careers and lifestyles to jump into something new, nor to wait until you have everything set perfectly in place. She does believe, however, that one shouldn't have to wait to do those things in life that one is passionate about. I loved it when she pooh-poohed "Positive Thinking." Ms. Sher believes you'll accomplish so much more if you just jump into it without waiting until you start to "like yourself." She crowed, "Do it now, while you hate yourself! If I wait until I like myself to do all the things I want to do, my knees will be bad and I won't get anywhere!" Ms. Sher was warm and extremely entertaining and I imagine her new book will be a fun and illuminating read. The other two authors, whose wonderful book 'Working on Yourself Doesn't Work' is a definite must-read, are Ariel and Shya Kane. Their book, both uplifting and profound, is an intimate sharing of stories and discoveries about transformation and living in the moment. In it, the Kanes explain the "three Principles of Transformation," which help to clarify the waking up process and what transformation actually is. In terms of creativity and the creative process, or tackling creative projects (creativity being simply the act of creating something where there was previously nothing), I found the section on the "Attainment of Goals and Satisfaction" very insightful. There they discuss how our preferences get in our way, and they ask the question, "How often are tasks left unfinished simply because we do not like to do them, yet these incompletions plague us throughout our days?" The Kanes' book is a collection of truths, experiences, and observations, in which you can gently stumble across a sentence that suddenly -- amazingly -- shifts your entire perspective on who you are and how you relate to your life in general. One can read it again and again, and gain something different from it each time. The book's title says it all - working on yourself really doesn't work. Julia Cameron's book contains a series of exercises; it is essentially a workbook and the complete opposite of the Kanes' book. Yet I see that it is possible to gain much from reading both. If you respond well to having assignments to complete, and tasks to accomplish in order to gauge your growth in a particular area that you feel you need to work on, 'The Artist's Way' is for you. If you have spent many soul-searching years working on improving what you feel is lacking in yourself, and feel you are done with making a project of your own self-growth, you will find inspiration in 'Working on Yourself Doesn't Work.' Conversely, if you are still very much into working on yourself to fix what you think is wrong with yourself, you especially will benefit from reading 'Working on Yourself Doesn't Work.' The book will open up possibilities for transformation in every area of your life. In it, the Kanes show how being truly present in this moment transforms "ordinary, mundane lives into exquisite, magnificent lives." When we experience transformation, it happens in all aspects of who we are. Included in that process is the possibility that some of us do benefit from doing exercises from time to time, such as Ms. Cameron's -- simply to get in touch with what's inside them, refamiliarize oneself, look at our goals. I think these books, and anything by the engaging Barbara Sher, do help in allowing anyone to see the things we do that hold us back in life. And, as the Kanes say, seeing those things without holding ourselves as wrong for doing them is all we need to transform our lives.
Rating:
Summary: Must have, and not only for writers
Review: Even if you don't follow or finish the six-week program (I didn't), just dipping into Cameron's book every now and then jump starts creativity, making re-submersion into your art (in whatever form it manifests) much less forbidding. I never 'got' why the morning pages had to be written by hand, so I didn't, my brain being hotwired to my keyboard. And I suspect you could achieve the same catharsis speaking your thoughts into a tape recorder. Just get the book, go with the flow and don't sweat the details -- since Cameron's intent isn't to create more guilt, but to free you enough to just let her rip! You'll be glad you did.
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Summary: Twelve-step lingo is a turnoff
Review: I find this book disappointing because it's steeped in Recovery/AA/12-Step vocabulary. Personally I find 12-stepping a turn-off, and so this book doesn't do it for me. I can see how it might help other people who might have less confidence in their abilities and pay too much attention to what authority figures or friends or family say to them. And I do think that writing a journal, whether it's a morning book or something geared more to your own circadian rhythms, is not a bad idea to loosen the creative flow. But as a writer, I found more useful stuff to try out in Natalie Goldberg's books.
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Summary: Life changing
Review: I have been facilitating Artist Way groups for about 3 years in Scotland and the most consistent response I get is "This changed my life!" Morning pages are worth it but don't make them into a huge thing - they should only take 15-20mins max - use a clock. One of the participants in my group could only do midnight pages but he still got a huge amound out of the course. People are too hung up on doing AW perfectly - the results of doing it imperfectly can be pretty amazing as well. If you do this at the right point in your life - be guided by your intuition miracles can happen!
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Summary: The Book Might be Good--The Audio Tapes are Unlistenable!
Review: I really don't know if the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron is good or not. I have never read it--but I was handed the AUDIO TAPES READ BY THE AUTHOR, and I could barely get through side one of the first tape. I ended up shutting it off a few minutes into the second side of tape one. The reason isn't because of the content of the tape but the way the information is presented: in boring monotone sentences that end in question marks. "What I want you to do? Is to find a notebook? And every morning? I want you to do your morning pages?" It was VERY difficult to listen to and I don't recommend it for that reason. Now I believe the SAME tape is offered through Amazon.com read by Natalie Goldberg--THAT might be a good bet, but the tape by the author leaves a lot to be desired.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book has really helped me, and my little group. You have to get it. Please treat yourself you will not be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Valuable
Review: I decided this summer to follow the path recommended by Cameron in this book. It has taken much time and effort. But it has been worth it. The exercises recommended have powerful and liberating effects. I appreciate Cameron's constant encouragement and nurturing. She illuminates the pitfalls and negative thoughts that we all fall into and gives us tools to get away from these things. One of the best ongoing exercises refers to morning pages. This takes much encouragement and Cameron gives it in this book. Doing morning pages is like proactive meditation. But be warned, you will need lots of paper. Reading and participating with The Artist's Way is a gift to yourself and to everyone else.
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Summary: Life-affirming beyond one's expectations
Review: I think a perfect way to say how valuable this book is would beto share a story of what I did once while following it's advice: whilebitterly angry at someone with whom I was involved, I began writing in my journal all of my feelings, all of my pains, all of the most vituperative things I could think of... and within about half an hour it began turning into a children's story, putting the entire conflict that inspired it into a parable/metaphor, worthy of being published! Not to mention that by the time I picked up the phone later that morning to talk to the one I so deeply cared about but was enraged with, the anger was gone and the love returned, as if the vacuum Nature abhors was filled with love without my control. This book is a treasure that goes deeper and beyond most if not all of the new thinker's books written in the past several years (if not decades) in the areas of spirituality, psychology and creativity. While so many wax poetically (or try to) on the religious and social constructs that have been at the foundation of everyone's life, Julia Cameron speaks from the point of view of the Creative Force, beuatiful in its unknowability...that is at the center of it all- all of our world, all of our art- all of our lives. What this book can do for artists and writers surpasses even that which Nietzsche made possible with his aphorisms in HUMAN, ALL TOO HUMAN on "The Soul of Artists and Writers." To put all the pain of an artist- in fact, of human existence in total really- in terms of being blocked creatively is in and of itself remarkable. .... The Miles Davis quote is worth the price of the book all by itself: "Do not fear mistakes. There are none."
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Summary: Reconnect With Your Creativity
Review: This book was a big step in reconnecting to my passion for playing the piano. I followed the steps from doing the morning pages to taking the many baby steps to reach a goal whether it be learning a new piece or playing a recital. I learned about the pitfalls to creativity which included self-judgment and being around people who didn't support me whether they were negative in their comments or crazy-making. A lot of the book relates to the thought processes we have developed in the past that hamper our creativity. Also I learned to "keep going"! Another book I have read which I found incredibly helpful in all areas of my life, whether it be in relationship with my husband or others, or in day to day existence is "Working on Yourself Doesn't Work" by Ariel and Shya Kane. I feel readers would find this book valuable as it describes how being in the moment (not being swept up in the past or the future) can enhance your life and also your creativity. The concepts the Kane's present greatly enhanced my creative output and also my joy in playing and being myself.
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