Julia Cameron is known for her book “The Artists Way”. More than a book, this is a movement which helps creative people from all fields of life to unblock their creativity. In this particular book, The Creative Life, she provides a glimpse into her daily life, the people around her and her creative process. It is a memoir of sorts, covering a short span of a year or so in her life. I think that this book is more meaningful to read if you have already read her other books and are familiar with Cameron’s work. Getting a deeper glimpse into her life might then be a way to know her process better.
However, having said that, here are some interesting takeaways that were meaningful for me from this book-
- The concept of believing mirrors, which refers to friends or people who truly bring out the best in you. This idea appeals to me. It is somewhat similar to the concept of expanded associations that I read about in the book The Compound Effect”.
- Julia has fixed meal dates with her friends and loved ones. For example, meeting her daughter or her close friends, each on a fixed day of the week, fixed time, and even a fixed place, in some cases, she even has a fixed order for the menu! This strategy really takes the logistics out of meeting people making it a very seamless and easy process. It helps us curate and fit in meaningful interactions in our schedules.
- When she shares about her writing process, it feels like there is a divine energy to it. “I learnt to let myself write freely, allowing the higher power to write through me. I became less the self-conscious, author and the conduit. Instead of thinking something up, I learnt to take something down” she writes in the book. I learnt from this book that she writes long hand first and then transfers it onto the computer. She relies on showing work to her friends first and then critics. She mentioned using a process called ‘green sheets’, and I am interested to discover more about it.