The Artist’s Way
Posted by vrleavittDec 23
Following up with goals…one of my goals this year is to start *and* finish, The Artist’s Way course. For those that don’t know, The Artist’s Way is a book by Julia Cameron, but is also a 12 week program to help with recover your creativity from various blocks, including fear, self-doubt, etc.
I started the course earlier this year when I felt particularly blocked. I wanted to complete the final draft on my novel, but I just couldn’t do it. I had no power, no drive, nothing. When things like that happen, I, like most creative people go to that dark place where I wondered why I even bothered writing. Those tiny thoughts tend to grow exponentially. First it’s why do I do this, next it’s, why bother? You’ll never make it anyway, hell you’ve never even sold a short story. You should be focusing on REAL things, not self-indulgent, artsy-fartsy things.
The problem is, I can’t do it. Every time I come to that point where I think I should give it up, I can’t. Even if I never make a dollar doing it, I can’t stop writing. When I’m writing, I’m happy. When I’m not, I feel like something is missing. So why, if I love it so much, do I run into these blocks? Why does anybody?
Various reasons of course…no time, life gets in the way, etc.
What the Artist Way course tries to do is find out what your blocks are and get you past them. Creativity is one of those ellusive things that we can’t just turn on or off. It comes and goes, and for me anyway, I can never quite pin it down. It’s like one of those friends you have who you LOVE visiting with, but then they don’t call or e-mail for a few weeks or months and you start feeling rejected, but then they come back and everything is right with the world again.
So, in embarking on The Artist’s Way journey, I’m hoping to equip myself with the tools I need to be able to get through these blocks when they happen, because they WILL happen. The people I know who have completed the course have said it was incredibly useful. Fingers crossed. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Have you done The Artist’s Way course or read the book? Any comments or suggestions? If you haven’t and you’re interested, drop me a line, maybe we could be study partners. 
7 comments
Comment by --gg on December 23, 2009 at 5:02 pm
…it may be time for a new way of thinking. Maybe in 2010, with the support of your friends and other writers you can get beyond old thought processes, old way’s of thinking…and begin a new drive to complete pages and chapters and the whole damn thing. You’ve thought of yourself one way…now, think of yourself another way, a different way.
Comment by Louise Dragon on December 23, 2009 at 6:19 pm
This sounds like an excellent plan.
Unfortunately my number one goal for 2010 is to get a job.
Since out of work, even the buying of a book is a luxury . . . there are still free libraries.
Good luck though!
Comment by J. Dane Tyler on December 23, 2009 at 10:46 pm
I’ll be very interested to see how this works for you, V. It sounds like something every artist should have in their holster just in case.
Please do let us know how the course works out for you.
Comment by Susan on December 26, 2009 at 10:44 am
Totally understand about the creative block, we all go throught it, but you’re right, it’s so much a part of you, you can’t stop creating anymore than you can stop breathing! This course sounds like a great idea – I’ll check it out of the library this week, and if I think I can committ to it on a regular basis I’ll be a study partner – we could even have another group if there’s enough interest!
Comment by G.P. Ching on January 1, 2010 at 9:56 pm
You hit the nail on the head when you said you can’t stop writing. I know that feeling. Sometimes I have characters that throw themselves against the sides of my head until I get them down on paper. There’s always a sense of relief when the story is done but I often ask myself why I spend/waste the time. (Especially after reading several agent rejections) I hope this course keeps you writing. I’m interested in how it works out for you.
Comment by Elinor Mavor on January 14, 2010 at 1:55 pm
VR … the very fact that you are attacking the problem head-on by taking this course will insure your success. It’s all about taking action instead of just worrying which is the biggest block of all. Another thing … not getting paid is a big problem but it can also be a great motivator. Waiting for people to buy or publish your work can be the biggest bane for writers. Two of my writer friends, Ernest Hogan and Emily Devenport (both published novelists) have decided that in 2010 they are going to self-publish. There are may ways to do this on the internet and no one has to wait for New York to notice them anymore! Good Luck to you in all your endeavors, VR. I love your writing.
Pingback by Julia Cameron Interview :Coffee and a Keyboard on February 2, 2010 at 9:41 am
[...] twice now. However, I have restarted it and am determined to finish this time, as I discussed in an earlier blog post. So far, so good. I know I will finish it this time. I expect you to yell at me if I don’t. [...]