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The Artist's Way
The Artist's Way Starter Kit
This starter kit includes Julia Cameron's two most important Artist's Way tools— The Artist's Way and The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal . This attractive package will inspire anyone contemplating beginning the Artist's Way program to plunge right into this life-changing twelve-week program!
The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital today — or perhaps even more so — than it was when it was first published, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work. In a new introduction to the book, Julia Cameron reflects upon the impact of The Artist’s Way and describes the work she has done during the last decade and the new insights into the creative process that she has gained. Updated and expanded, this anniversary edition reframes The Artist’s Way for a new century.
The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal prioritize the day, providing clarity and comfort. Julia Cameron keeps row after row of journals on the wooden bookcase in her writing room, all containing Morning Pages from more than twelve years of her life. The journals, she says, listen to her. They have been company on travels, and she is indebted to them for consolation, advice, humor, sanity. Now, you can have the same companion. With an introduction and instructions on how to use this journal, readers will uncover the history of their spirits as they move their hands across the universe of their lives.
The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital today — or perhaps even more so — than it was when it was first published, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work. In a new introduction to the book, Julia Cameron reflects upon the impact of The Artist’s Way and describes the work she has done during the last decade and the new insights into the creative process that she has gained. Updated and expanded, this anniversary edition reframes The Artist’s Way for a new century.
The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal prioritize the day, providing clarity and comfort. Julia Cameron keeps row after row of journals on the wooden bookcase in her writing room, all containing Morning Pages from more than twelve years of her life. The journals, she says, listen to her. They have been company on travels, and she is indebted to them for consolation, advice, humor, sanity. Now, you can have the same companion. With an introduction and instructions on how to use this journal, readers will uncover the history of their spirits as they move their hands across the universe of their lives.
560 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2011
73 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Julia Cameron
102 books2,284 followersJulia Cameron has been an active artist for more than thirty years, with fifteen books (including bestsellers The Artist's Way, Walking In This World and The Right to Write) and countless television, film, and theater scripts to her credit. Writing since the age of 18, Cameron has a long list of screenplay and teleplay credits to her name, including an episode of Miami Vice, and Elvis and the Beauty Queen, which starred Don Johnson. She was a writer on such movies as Taxi Driver, New York, New York, and The Last Waltz. She wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning independent feature film, God's Will, which premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival, and was selected by the London Film Festival, the Munich International Film Festival, and Women in Film Festival, among others. In addition to making film, Cameron has taught film at such diverse places as Chicago Filmmakers, Northwestern University, and Columbia College. Her profound teachings on unlocking creativity and living from the creative center have inspired countless artists to unleash their full potential.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 10, 2024
Well I did it. I bought this two book kit at the start of the year as a sort of new years resolution to myself and now here I am at the finish line. I have a lot of thoughts about these two books as a whole and I've been thinking a lot about what I want to say in this review.
When I first got the book, I'm going to admit I felt very duped initially. While I knew the book drew a lot of connections from spirituality to creativity I had hoped for a more generic view of spirituality. Julia does say right away in her book that when she speaks of God that we can substitute our own beliefs and practices in place of the one she talks about- but when she directly quotes from the bible she leaves no opportunity for her reader to replace that sentiment with another.
I struggle a lot with Catholicism/Christianity- and I'm still in a recovery process from religion that when Julia drew these connections between creativity and God I was pretty gosh dang furious. I took a black marker to quite a few of her words- editing and shaping them into something that wasn't so obviously linked to an Abrahamic God. I instead substituted the word God for The Universe. Her Ten Commandments of Creativity became 5 Affirmations. It was almost cathartic in a way to take something so deeply rooted in a specific religion and broaden it. All that to say- I felt like her title of "The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" was misleading.
However among the constant barrage of unmistakable connections to a singular religion there are some really beautiful nuggets of wisdom, and it was those as well as my spite that kept me on this journey. I filled out my morning pages in a bit of an altered schedual from what Julia suggested- though I did try her way first. I ended up writing Monday to Friday as she prescribed and left Saturday as a no writing day while Sunday became three pages of gratitude. In the end I felt that worked really well for me- and I have to admit her wisdom in doing three pages slowly grew on me.
Initially I found myself ready to move on with my day after a page and a half of mental lamenting and waxing poetic but near the end of week 2 the words just flowed. I found a system that worked and man, approaching the day after the morning pages simply became a joy. I loved having the space and time to be with my thoughts- to have a space where I didn't have to apologize or filter myself and then once those three pages were up I could leave my thoughts there and move on with my day.
Julia encourages play- she encourages love for ones self and for others- and I found sticking to the artist dates she prescribed weekly was also a wonderful way to explore and grow as a creative. I will definitely be keeping that practice as well as the morning pages even though I've finished this set now. I've already found a new journal and I'm pretty stoked to start writing in it.
Would I say that this read is worth it? I struggle to give you an emphatic yes, but I mostly lean towards yes. I think you'd do well enough to get the Artist way book, and save your money on the journal. There isn't much new content on it and I found the direct quotes from the guide to be a little... eh... (I ended up buying stickers and putting them over the quotes because that made me feel good haha). The journaling is an important part, you just don't need the branded Julia journal to do it.
The only other thing to keep in mind is that this book was written in 1992 and it shows with some of the verbiage. There were a few moments where I looked up from the pages and thought "That's not appropriate." XD
Overall- if you're someone that's a struggling creative I'd really encourage you to try out this if not some other form of daily journaling where you get to play. Julia wrote a lot of good wisdom, you just have to pick through it to find it.
When I first got the book, I'm going to admit I felt very duped initially. While I knew the book drew a lot of connections from spirituality to creativity I had hoped for a more generic view of spirituality. Julia does say right away in her book that when she speaks of God that we can substitute our own beliefs and practices in place of the one she talks about- but when she directly quotes from the bible she leaves no opportunity for her reader to replace that sentiment with another.
I struggle a lot with Catholicism/Christianity- and I'm still in a recovery process from religion that when Julia drew these connections between creativity and God I was pretty gosh dang furious. I took a black marker to quite a few of her words- editing and shaping them into something that wasn't so obviously linked to an Abrahamic God. I instead substituted the word God for The Universe. Her Ten Commandments of Creativity became 5 Affirmations. It was almost cathartic in a way to take something so deeply rooted in a specific religion and broaden it. All that to say- I felt like her title of "The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" was misleading.
However among the constant barrage of unmistakable connections to a singular religion there are some really beautiful nuggets of wisdom, and it was those as well as my spite that kept me on this journey. I filled out my morning pages in a bit of an altered schedual from what Julia suggested- though I did try her way first. I ended up writing Monday to Friday as she prescribed and left Saturday as a no writing day while Sunday became three pages of gratitude. In the end I felt that worked really well for me- and I have to admit her wisdom in doing three pages slowly grew on me.
Initially I found myself ready to move on with my day after a page and a half of mental lamenting and waxing poetic but near the end of week 2 the words just flowed. I found a system that worked and man, approaching the day after the morning pages simply became a joy. I loved having the space and time to be with my thoughts- to have a space where I didn't have to apologize or filter myself and then once those three pages were up I could leave my thoughts there and move on with my day.
Julia encourages play- she encourages love for ones self and for others- and I found sticking to the artist dates she prescribed weekly was also a wonderful way to explore and grow as a creative. I will definitely be keeping that practice as well as the morning pages even though I've finished this set now. I've already found a new journal and I'm pretty stoked to start writing in it.
Would I say that this read is worth it? I struggle to give you an emphatic yes, but I mostly lean towards yes. I think you'd do well enough to get the Artist way book, and save your money on the journal. There isn't much new content on it and I found the direct quotes from the guide to be a little... eh... (I ended up buying stickers and putting them over the quotes because that made me feel good haha). The journaling is an important part, you just don't need the branded Julia journal to do it.
The only other thing to keep in mind is that this book was written in 1992 and it shows with some of the verbiage. There were a few moments where I looked up from the pages and thought "That's not appropriate." XD
Overall- if you're someone that's a struggling creative I'd really encourage you to try out this if not some other form of daily journaling where you get to play. Julia wrote a lot of good wisdom, you just have to pick through it to find it.
March 4, 2023
A classic for creative types. I couldn't get into the morning pages. I'm couldn't figure out how to write 3 pages of long hand stream of thought in a way that didn't take more than an hour to finish. I enjoyed taking myself on Artist Dates and still find pleasure in filling my creative well by doing things that aren't necessarily creative, such a hiking and shopping secondhand shops.
February 28, 2014
Wished I had bought this instead of The Artist's Way on its own. Journaling is key.
September 4, 2020
This book helped me get clear about my purpose and step into what that looked like for me. It helped me to declutter my heart, mind and Spirit, and taught me the tools to ensure that I don't get back into that shape again. What I liked most about the book is the Morning Pages and Artists dates. I read this book at a time when I was ready to tap into my Spiritual core and discover who I am from the inside out. Thank you Julia for writing a book that met me where I was and took me to where God intended for me to be.
June 26, 2020
Great way to unlock when you are stuck on a project, keeps you showing up to the desk and page even if not exactly working on a story so that the body doesn't loose that mussle memory of what a working writer does. You show up.
October 8, 2025
Absolutely fabulous. I loved this book, journal, and workbook so much. It has changed my life. I recommend it to everyone. Everyone needs to write Morning Pages and go on Author’s Dates. Really got me out of my writer’s slump. Thank you Julia Cameron!!
September 24, 2019
Whew, those morning pages were a job. I liked the overall idea but it didn't seem to help me much.
April 19, 2024
Definitely needed for my artistic recovery. One of the most annotated books I ave. I would definitely do it again and will apply it to my life in every way possible.
December 26, 2021
I love this book. It’s a classic. If you are interested in starting a writing practice it will nurture your intention. It’s thoughtful. It’s thought-provoking. It will help you cultivate your creativity in general and your connection with what is important to you. It is soulful guidance in creating access to an innate feedback loop that will help you find meaning in your life.
December 28, 2020
This will change your life, if you let it. Let it take as long as it takes.
February 13, 2022
I found this to be a thought provoking book with lots of good ideas on how to take care of my writer self. I started writing morning pages in June 2021 and am still writing them (2-20220).
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews