Ready? Let's Write for Life

The Creative Kingdom Book Club starts today!

Today marks the start of my Julia Cameron year.

I’m beginning with Cameron’s Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer, and would love for you to join me.

Write for Life is a six-week program for anyone working on a writing project, from the first-time writer to the seasoned one. This book is an invitation to begin, stick with, and finish your project.

This week, we will “prime the pump,” per Cameron, by readying ourselves for the long-term commitment between writer and writing project.

If you are still waiting on a copy of the book, or perhaps you’re hearing about this project for the first time -right now- and thinking THIS is what I need, don’t fret: the basics of week 1 are outlined below.

I’ll be publishing check-in posts every Monday, but you can begin any day this week. For week 1, Cameron assigns 5 tasks:

1. Morning Pages. If this book is your entré to Cameron’s Artist Way program, Morning Pages are three pages¹ written longhand, first thing in the morning. They are not supposed to be good, or even make sense. Just pure stream of consciousness.

2. Artist Date. Find a couple of hours to take your inner writer on a “solo adventure.” This can be anything: a movie, a museum visit, a trip to the art supply store. The intention is to “give back energy and inspiration.”

3. Walks. Twice (or more) this week, take yourself on a solo walk for 20 minutes. Leave the phone², dog, and friends.

4. The Daily Quota. Choose a realistic daily quota for your writing project. Cameron suggests two pages for prose; I’m assuming typed. The Internet suggests this about 900 words.

5. Writing Stations. Find a few locations in your house and/or neighborhood where you can write.

The chapter includes some short essays on protecting your inner artist, the importance of privacy, and the mythology of writers, as well as Cameron’s reasoning for assigning the tools that she does. You’ll want to read the chapter this week, too.

See you back here on Monday! If you’re joining me, let me know in the comments. I can’t wait to cheer you on.

1. Cameron says a page is 8 1/2” x 11,” but I say handwriting size makes a big difference and if you tend to write on the smaller side, a smaller size of paper is appropriate.

2. I will not be leaving my phone, which seems like a poor move from a safety standpoint, although I won’t be using it on the walk.