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The Writing Life
The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life
What if everything we have been taught about learning to write was wrong? In The Right to Write, Julia Cameron's most revolutionary book, the author of the bestselling self-help guide The Artist's Way, asserts that conventional writing wisdom would have you believe in a false doctrine that stifles creativity. With the techniques and anecdotes in The Right to Write, readers learn to make writing a natural, intensely personal part of life. Cameron's instruction and examples include the details of the writing processes she uses to create her own bestselling books. She makes writing a playful and realistic as well as a reflective event. Anyone jumping into the writing life for the first time and those already living it will discover the art of writing is never the same after reading The Right to Write.
237 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Julia Cameron
98 books1,916 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 - 30 of 360 reviews
February 4, 2008
I really like Julia Cameron's books. Her prose reads with the rhythm and color of poetry, so it isn't like your typical 'how-to-write' book. Whereas other books 'tell' you where and how to get inspired, Cameron does this by merely putting words to the page. I also think this is the most encouraging and open book on writing I've ever read. I call it my 'block-remover.'
July 21, 2008
The book is subtitled "An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life," and thus is about the ways that people can start a writing practice that focuses on writing for the sake of the process rather than the sake of the product. Julia Cameron puts it this way:
If we are invested in a writing life -- as opposed to a writing career -- then we are in it for the process and not the product. We are in it for the body of work and not for the quick hit of one well-realized piece." (p. 66)
Each chapter of the book is on a different abstract concept related to writing such as "Mood" or "Voice" or "Making It", and each chapters ends with an "Initiation Tool," a writing exercise. The book reminds me of a combination of Lamott's Bird by Bird and Goldberg's Old Friend from Far Away because it combines thoughtful pondering on the practice as well as practical tools for the craft. Many of Cameron's writing assignments are about how you feel, however, encouraging you to draw a bath or take a walk, whereas Goldberg's exercises always take you to the page. I must confess that I prefer Goldberg's method more, since Cameron wanders a bit too far into the psychology of writing for my taste. I feel like Cameron is a cheerleader for people who want to write anything, including journals (which is great, just not where I am) whereas Goldberg is a cheerleader for people who need to write for other people to read. Does that distinction make sense?
In terms of what I took away from this book, I appreciated it, but I did not find it as useful as Lamott or Goldberg. That fact may be a result of where I was in my writing when I read it - at a place where I wasn't following a daily practice - but I think the book also waxes esoteric a bit too much, making me lose my grounding in my own writing. Additionally, Cameron largely discounts the intellect in writing practice, and while I certainly know writing comes from a deeper place than from the mind, it's hard for me to see our knowledge and our understanding of the world intellectually as completely devoid of value in writing.
All in all, this is a great book for people who need to get a daily writing practice started or for people who truly have great anxiety or fear about their writing (I have been both of those people and still am on some days). It may simply not be for those who are already writing and simply need someone to walk beside them.
http://www.andilit.com/?p=219
If we are invested in a writing life -- as opposed to a writing career -- then we are in it for the process and not the product. We are in it for the body of work and not for the quick hit of one well-realized piece." (p. 66)
Each chapter of the book is on a different abstract concept related to writing such as "Mood" or "Voice" or "Making It", and each chapters ends with an "Initiation Tool," a writing exercise. The book reminds me of a combination of Lamott's Bird by Bird and Goldberg's Old Friend from Far Away because it combines thoughtful pondering on the practice as well as practical tools for the craft. Many of Cameron's writing assignments are about how you feel, however, encouraging you to draw a bath or take a walk, whereas Goldberg's exercises always take you to the page. I must confess that I prefer Goldberg's method more, since Cameron wanders a bit too far into the psychology of writing for my taste. I feel like Cameron is a cheerleader for people who want to write anything, including journals (which is great, just not where I am) whereas Goldberg is a cheerleader for people who need to write for other people to read. Does that distinction make sense?
In terms of what I took away from this book, I appreciated it, but I did not find it as useful as Lamott or Goldberg. That fact may be a result of where I was in my writing when I read it - at a place where I wasn't following a daily practice - but I think the book also waxes esoteric a bit too much, making me lose my grounding in my own writing. Additionally, Cameron largely discounts the intellect in writing practice, and while I certainly know writing comes from a deeper place than from the mind, it's hard for me to see our knowledge and our understanding of the world intellectually as completely devoid of value in writing.
All in all, this is a great book for people who need to get a daily writing practice started or for people who truly have great anxiety or fear about their writing (I have been both of those people and still am on some days). It may simply not be for those who are already writing and simply need someone to walk beside them.
http://www.andilit.com/?p=219
November 7, 2018
فکر کنم برای از سر گرفتن «نوشتنم» نیاز به سخنان جولیا کامرون داشتم که مدام بهم گوش زد کنه : « صفحات صبحگاهی بنویسید» «به سانسورچی درونتان عادت دهید کنار بایستد و تماشا کند.». من این کتاب رو خیلی دوست داشتم و قطعا در فرصتهای بعدی بازخوانیش میکنم. نثر روانی داشت و ترجمهش هم بسیار روان بود.
خوندنش رو به نویسندگان آماتور (که از روی عشق مینویسند) پیشنهاد میکنم.
خوندنش رو به نویسندگان آماتور (که از روی عشق مینویسند) پیشنهاد میکنم.
May 26, 2013
I expected to like this book more than I did, and I must say I'm glad I didn't buy another of Cameron's books which interested me (The Artist's Way) at the same time I bought this one. Having read The Right to Write, I think I can safely say that Julia Cameron's approach isn't really my preferred one.
For me, the main problem with this book was how spiritual it was, which wasn't something I was at all expecting (and which may mean that others who are more sympathetic to this outlook will find the book more inspiring than I did). Though I liked some of Cameron's specific suggestions about living a writing life, much of her discussion on inspiration and 'finding' stories to tell seemed to me completely irrelevant to a secular writing life. For example, the following quotes provide an idea of the flavour of the book, and your response to them is probably a good guide to whether this book will suit you or not:
p101: Although we seldom talk about it in these terms, writing is a means of prayer. It connects us to the invisible world....Writing gives us a place to welcome more than the rational. It opens the door to inspiration....No matter how secular it may appear, writing is actually a spiritual tool. (This is from a chapter titled Being an Open Channel)
p201: Let me begin by saying I consider psychic phenomena to be a normal part of life. I do not ascribe to the Johnny-come-lately school of rationalism, which would have us believe only in the solid world of five senses and the things they can easily explain. It is my belief that writing is a spiritual practice and that the world of spirit is far larger, and more variable, than the physical world - and every bit as real. (From a chapter titled ESP.)
p207 (part of the exercise recommended for the ESP chapter, in which the reader is urged to write on several topics, including this one): Do you believe in God? Describe your belief or lack of belief. Is your God friendly to creative endeavours? Describe a God that could be. Once you allow for the possibility of such a benevolent force, you may begin to see evidence of one.
I'm not saying the whole book is like that; there are many sections which aren't, dealing with more mundane matters like routine and places to write in and dealing with procrastination. However, this spiritual theme, and the idea of writing somehow channeling what a voice (your own? The universe's? I wasn't really sure), are both strong threads running through much of what is written. As an atheist myself, there's not a lot I can get out of ideas about writing as prayer or an exercise exhorting me to open my mind to the possibility of a god friendly to creative endeavours. This is why I suspect that others may find more to love in this book than I was able to - and may not find the occasional snarky comments about rationalism as irksome as I did.
That said, I did find some interesting ideas and suggestions in this book. I plan to try a handful of the writing prompts Cameron provides, for example, and I like her emphasis on the need to simply write, regularly and consistently, rather than agonising about having enough time or being able to write perfectly. In other words, I was interested in much of what she had to say about writing as a process, but less so in her ideas about the metaphysics of it all, which played a strong enough role in the book that I was left at the end feeling vaguely dissatisfied at what I had gleaned from a book which, to begin with, had seemed to promise me a lot more.
For me, the main problem with this book was how spiritual it was, which wasn't something I was at all expecting (and which may mean that others who are more sympathetic to this outlook will find the book more inspiring than I did). Though I liked some of Cameron's specific suggestions about living a writing life, much of her discussion on inspiration and 'finding' stories to tell seemed to me completely irrelevant to a secular writing life. For example, the following quotes provide an idea of the flavour of the book, and your response to them is probably a good guide to whether this book will suit you or not:
p101: Although we seldom talk about it in these terms, writing is a means of prayer. It connects us to the invisible world....Writing gives us a place to welcome more than the rational. It opens the door to inspiration....No matter how secular it may appear, writing is actually a spiritual tool. (This is from a chapter titled Being an Open Channel)
p201: Let me begin by saying I consider psychic phenomena to be a normal part of life. I do not ascribe to the Johnny-come-lately school of rationalism, which would have us believe only in the solid world of five senses and the things they can easily explain. It is my belief that writing is a spiritual practice and that the world of spirit is far larger, and more variable, than the physical world - and every bit as real. (From a chapter titled ESP.)
p207 (part of the exercise recommended for the ESP chapter, in which the reader is urged to write on several topics, including this one): Do you believe in God? Describe your belief or lack of belief. Is your God friendly to creative endeavours? Describe a God that could be. Once you allow for the possibility of such a benevolent force, you may begin to see evidence of one.
I'm not saying the whole book is like that; there are many sections which aren't, dealing with more mundane matters like routine and places to write in and dealing with procrastination. However, this spiritual theme, and the idea of writing somehow channeling what a voice (your own? The universe's? I wasn't really sure), are both strong threads running through much of what is written. As an atheist myself, there's not a lot I can get out of ideas about writing as prayer or an exercise exhorting me to open my mind to the possibility of a god friendly to creative endeavours. This is why I suspect that others may find more to love in this book than I was able to - and may not find the occasional snarky comments about rationalism as irksome as I did.
That said, I did find some interesting ideas and suggestions in this book. I plan to try a handful of the writing prompts Cameron provides, for example, and I like her emphasis on the need to simply write, regularly and consistently, rather than agonising about having enough time or being able to write perfectly. In other words, I was interested in much of what she had to say about writing as a process, but less so in her ideas about the metaphysics of it all, which played a strong enough role in the book that I was left at the end feeling vaguely dissatisfied at what I had gleaned from a book which, to begin with, had seemed to promise me a lot more.
March 29, 2012
My review is biased, and there’s a story to go with it.
As a result of my recent interest in Edgar Cayce, I have been reading some of his books to my utmost enjoyment. One day, I checked out his website where I saw a list of people somehow involved in or connected to the metaphysical world. One of the people profiled was Julia Cameron. I had never heard of her or her works. It seemed she had written quite a few books on writing, and I figured someday I’d get to reading at least one of them. I somewhat ‘forgot’ about her until one day, when I just had the biggest urge to purchase this book, which I ended up doing.
I have to say I am very glad I followed my gut and went for it, because this book is truly a gift for anyone needing to be reminded of the benefits of writing. Julia’s approach is laid-back and non-elitist, offering tactics for writers at all levels. She will motivate and inspire everyone to write, which I find very loving and non-judgmental in its approach. Those with a superiority complex will not like her work because it provides indiscriminate hope and encouragement to all.
I am rather pleasantly surprised that I feel we both have the same spiritual outlook on writing; I often thought I was the only ‘weirdo’ who felt that writing has therapeutic effects. In fact I believe that’s why I would ever write in the first place, although I probably wasn’t aware of it at the time. Who would've thought I’d find such a supportive voice at such an opportune moment, and would do so through a deceased psychic’s website of all places?! But Julia has her mystical side too, as her chapter on ESP reminds us. That chapter just might be my favorite given that I’ve been reflecting on it recently, providing further reassurance to writers, if not to people in any field in general.
An unexpected discovery, which only reminds me of the connectivity of events and that I’m not a believer in coincidence. =)
As a result of my recent interest in Edgar Cayce, I have been reading some of his books to my utmost enjoyment. One day, I checked out his website where I saw a list of people somehow involved in or connected to the metaphysical world. One of the people profiled was Julia Cameron. I had never heard of her or her works. It seemed she had written quite a few books on writing, and I figured someday I’d get to reading at least one of them. I somewhat ‘forgot’ about her until one day, when I just had the biggest urge to purchase this book, which I ended up doing.
I have to say I am very glad I followed my gut and went for it, because this book is truly a gift for anyone needing to be reminded of the benefits of writing. Julia’s approach is laid-back and non-elitist, offering tactics for writers at all levels. She will motivate and inspire everyone to write, which I find very loving and non-judgmental in its approach. Those with a superiority complex will not like her work because it provides indiscriminate hope and encouragement to all.
I am rather pleasantly surprised that I feel we both have the same spiritual outlook on writing; I often thought I was the only ‘weirdo’ who felt that writing has therapeutic effects. In fact I believe that’s why I would ever write in the first place, although I probably wasn’t aware of it at the time. Who would've thought I’d find such a supportive voice at such an opportune moment, and would do so through a deceased psychic’s website of all places?! But Julia has her mystical side too, as her chapter on ESP reminds us. That chapter just might be my favorite given that I’ve been reflecting on it recently, providing further reassurance to writers, if not to people in any field in general.
An unexpected discovery, which only reminds me of the connectivity of events and that I’m not a believer in coincidence. =)
December 19, 2016
Inspirational and helpful.
January 17, 2014
This was a brilliant book. I love it. It was really affirming.
The premise is simple: No matter what, just WRITE! Write your way to clarity and love. You can do it. The author believes in you.
Note: the prompts in this book are pretty much exclusively for getting in touch with your keeping-a-journal, writing-about-your-own-experiences self. They're not prompts for fiction. The reason they're great, though, is because they connect you to that idea that it's good to write about everything, and that writing is a worthy experience in and of itself, not as a means to an end.
The premise is simple: No matter what, just WRITE! Write your way to clarity and love. You can do it. The author believes in you.
Note: the prompts in this book are pretty much exclusively for getting in touch with your keeping-a-journal, writing-about-your-own-experiences self. They're not prompts for fiction. The reason they're great, though, is because they connect you to that idea that it's good to write about everything, and that writing is a worthy experience in and of itself, not as a means to an end.
March 23, 2010
I have several other things more pressing to do this evening then finish reading a book, but I just had to finish Julia Cameron's "The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life" because I just couldn't stand to read it anymore.
At a short 230 pages, Cameron's book falls well within the range of a 'how-to on writing' book. The chapters were relatively short in length and ended with an "Initiation Tool" to get you on your way to a writing life. Both of these are good for writers who need inspiration, motivation, that allusive invitation, or just a swift kick to the seat of his/her pants to get them going. However, I would argue that this book could have easily been 50-70 pages shorter. She repeated herself way too much, often beating her points into the ground to the point where I just wanted to give up on the book and on her good intentioned invitation to a writer's life.
And in the last chapter of the book, she suggested abolishing term 'writer' because everyone should write. Ugh! I am proud to be a writer! I identify as such and I resent any person (writer or not) who tries to take that away from me. Sure, Julia Cameron - you think that everyone is a writer. You're probably right, but not everyone does it.
All that aside, she did have some great nuggets of writing wisdom:
"Writing is about getting something down, not thinking something up." (page 10)
"Although we seldom think of it this way, a writer's block is often a very healthy self-protective response on the part of our inner creator to a dangerous threat." (page 180)
Cameron also has a unique method to her writing:
Morning Pages - three pages of stream of consciousness writing (written out in long hand) every morning.
Narrative Time Line - A time line of important events in your life.
Cups (taken from cupola, the cups gold diggers used) - An event that has spark or charge to it that you must expand upon.
Artist Dates - taking yourself out to a place to replenish yourself, whether it be a museum, concert, festival, etc.
I'm not sure how I feel about writing everything in long hand...
I enjoyed her discussion on writing as it compares to other careers. No one questions people who aspire to be an investment banker or an elementary school teacher. Why should writing be any different.
Overall, it was worth the read for me, especially the sense of accomplishment I felt when I turned the last page, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to anyone unless any of the above mentioned methodology sounds interesting. Then, by all means, get yourself a copy and start reading.
At a short 230 pages, Cameron's book falls well within the range of a 'how-to on writing' book. The chapters were relatively short in length and ended with an "Initiation Tool" to get you on your way to a writing life. Both of these are good for writers who need inspiration, motivation, that allusive invitation, or just a swift kick to the seat of his/her pants to get them going. However, I would argue that this book could have easily been 50-70 pages shorter. She repeated herself way too much, often beating her points into the ground to the point where I just wanted to give up on the book and on her good intentioned invitation to a writer's life.
And in the last chapter of the book, she suggested abolishing term 'writer' because everyone should write. Ugh! I am proud to be a writer! I identify as such and I resent any person (writer or not) who tries to take that away from me. Sure, Julia Cameron - you think that everyone is a writer. You're probably right, but not everyone does it.
All that aside, she did have some great nuggets of writing wisdom:
"Writing is about getting something down, not thinking something up." (page 10)
"Although we seldom think of it this way, a writer's block is often a very healthy self-protective response on the part of our inner creator to a dangerous threat." (page 180)
Cameron also has a unique method to her writing:
Morning Pages - three pages of stream of consciousness writing (written out in long hand) every morning.
Narrative Time Line - A time line of important events in your life.
Cups (taken from cupola, the cups gold diggers used) - An event that has spark or charge to it that you must expand upon.
Artist Dates - taking yourself out to a place to replenish yourself, whether it be a museum, concert, festival, etc.
I'm not sure how I feel about writing everything in long hand...
I enjoyed her discussion on writing as it compares to other careers. No one questions people who aspire to be an investment banker or an elementary school teacher. Why should writing be any different.
Overall, it was worth the read for me, especially the sense of accomplishment I felt when I turned the last page, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to anyone unless any of the above mentioned methodology sounds interesting. Then, by all means, get yourself a copy and start reading.
April 23, 2016
(4.5 stars rounded up)
Are you a writer? Or a wannabe writer? Or just think maybe someday you might write something, if you have time and can get around to it, maybe?
Then you might like this book.
This book came to me highly recommended, by a fantastic author (Samantha Adkins) from my writer's group. It was giving her some great inspiration, and I hoped it would do the same for my own somewhat stalled writing.
And it took forever and a day to read. That's mainly because I was taking the time to do (most) of the writing exercises in the book. There's one at the end of each chapter, and each chapter is only 4 -7 pages or so long, so that's a lot of exercising. Seriously. But it got me putting pen to page again, even if it was only making long, long lists in my journals all the time. These exercises though are more about getting you to think differently, rather than polishing your writing. That is not the goal of this book - it's goal is just to get you writing. To get over the obstacles that keep you from being creative and get you to put it down, even if it's bad! Even if it's silly! Even if it's not worth the paper it's on - because in the end, it is worth it, because it got you moving again.
I've published a couple of the writing exercises on my blog. You can check out 100 Things I Love, and Fifty Bits of Happiness, and watch for a few more that are scheduled for future weeks in the Written Arts category.
I found this book to be useful, but I also found it to be a little bit "Look how great my life is"-ish. What I mean by that - and by no means am I bemoaning Julia Cameron's success, because I mean, good for her - is that there's only so much I can take of how beautiful your ranch is and how sweet your horses are and how cool your car is and how easily you dash off movie scripts before I roll my eyes. Maybe that's partly jealousy/envy on my part.
What this book is really about, is freeing you from your thoughts of what a writer should be, should do, should produce and getting you to just see that if you want to be a writer, then you are a writer. You don't need permission. You don't need validation. You don't need to be published. You don't need anyone else to like your writing. You just have to write, because that's all that makes a writer.
I really like that attitude, and that belief system.
I don't like her emphasis on writing by hand. I can't write with my hands nearly fast enough to capture all the stuff that falls out of my head. I just can't. I love to journal but having that pressure to do it all by hand kills it for me. So I'm taking a page out of her own book (hah) and doing it how it works for me. Cause I don't need anyone else to tell me how to write - even the writer who told me that.
Are you a writer? Or a wannabe writer? Or just think maybe someday you might write something, if you have time and can get around to it, maybe?
Then you might like this book.
“We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It makes it directly and specifically our own. We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance.
We should write because writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living. Writing is sensual, experiential, grounding. We should write because writing is good for the soul. We should write because writing yields us a body of work, a felt path through the world we live in.
We should write, above all, because we are writers, whether we call ourselves that or not.”
This book came to me highly recommended, by a fantastic author (Samantha Adkins) from my writer's group. It was giving her some great inspiration, and I hoped it would do the same for my own somewhat stalled writing.
And it took forever and a day to read. That's mainly because I was taking the time to do (most) of the writing exercises in the book. There's one at the end of each chapter, and each chapter is only 4 -7 pages or so long, so that's a lot of exercising. Seriously. But it got me putting pen to page again, even if it was only making long, long lists in my journals all the time. These exercises though are more about getting you to think differently, rather than polishing your writing. That is not the goal of this book - it's goal is just to get you writing. To get over the obstacles that keep you from being creative and get you to put it down, even if it's bad! Even if it's silly! Even if it's not worth the paper it's on - because in the end, it is worth it, because it got you moving again.
“Writing is like breathing, it's possible to learn to do it well, but the point is to do it no matter what.”
I've published a couple of the writing exercises on my blog. You can check out 100 Things I Love, and Fifty Bits of Happiness, and watch for a few more that are scheduled for future weeks in the Written Arts category.
I found this book to be useful, but I also found it to be a little bit "Look how great my life is"-ish. What I mean by that - and by no means am I bemoaning Julia Cameron's success, because I mean, good for her - is that there's only so much I can take of how beautiful your ranch is and how sweet your horses are and how cool your car is and how easily you dash off movie scripts before I roll my eyes. Maybe that's partly jealousy/envy on my part.
What this book is really about, is freeing you from your thoughts of what a writer should be, should do, should produce and getting you to just see that if you want to be a writer, then you are a writer. You don't need permission. You don't need validation. You don't need to be published. You don't need anyone else to like your writing. You just have to write, because that's all that makes a writer.
“If we eliminate the word "writer", if we just go back to writing as an act of listening and naming what we hear, some of the rules dissappear. There is an organic shape, a form-coming-into-form that is inherent in the thing we are observing, listening to, and trying to put on the page. It has rules of its own that it will reveal to us if we listen with attention. Shape does not need to be imposed. Shape is a part of what we are listening to. When we just let ourselves write, we get it "right".”
I really like that attitude, and that belief system.
I don't like her emphasis on writing by hand. I can't write with my hands nearly fast enough to capture all the stuff that falls out of my head. I just can't. I love to journal but having that pressure to do it all by hand kills it for me. So I'm taking a page out of her own book (hah) and doing it how it works for me. Cause I don't need anyone else to tell me how to write - even the writer who told me that.
February 24, 2014
"Writing--and this is the big secret--wants to be written. Writing loves a writer the way God loves a true devotee. Writing will fill up your heart if you let it. It will fill your pages and help you fill your life."
In the midst of the huge learning curve that has been the publication of my first independent work, it was incredibly gratifying to be reminded of the reasons that I write -- not for publication or attention or fans (although those things are all lovely!) but because of the way it nourishes my soul. The Right to Write was recommended to me by a good writer friend when I posted a wishlist of books relating to Writing as a Spiritual Practice, and this was a really lovely start to reading through that pile.
I recently described Paulette Bates Alden's book, "Crossing the Moon," as "nourishing," and I can only use the same word to describe "The Right to Write." My writer's soul drank up Julia Cameron's encouragement and affirmation like South Dakota soil drinks up rain in its drout years. Each essay contained wonderful advice and beautiful reminders about the things we know, deep down, about our writing: that it matters to us, and even to the world, regardless of who sees it or how they react to it. I appreciated its focus squarely on writing as a process rather than a product, and its ability to separate the two without denigrating either one. In some places the essays felt a little meandering or even self-satisfied, and yet, this is a style that "works" for a book about letting writing flow to you and through you. And despite that, this book is not "rough" in any way -- one can see the creative whir beneath the finished product, and yet the finished product is still, indisputably, polished.
I haven't yet done any of the writing exercises ("initiations") at the end of each chapter, but I feel confident that sinking into them when I'm finished writing from "A Year in the Life" will give me an even deeper appreciation for this book.
In the midst of the huge learning curve that has been the publication of my first independent work, it was incredibly gratifying to be reminded of the reasons that I write -- not for publication or attention or fans (although those things are all lovely!) but because of the way it nourishes my soul. The Right to Write was recommended to me by a good writer friend when I posted a wishlist of books relating to Writing as a Spiritual Practice, and this was a really lovely start to reading through that pile.
I recently described Paulette Bates Alden's book, "Crossing the Moon," as "nourishing," and I can only use the same word to describe "The Right to Write." My writer's soul drank up Julia Cameron's encouragement and affirmation like South Dakota soil drinks up rain in its drout years. Each essay contained wonderful advice and beautiful reminders about the things we know, deep down, about our writing: that it matters to us, and even to the world, regardless of who sees it or how they react to it. I appreciated its focus squarely on writing as a process rather than a product, and its ability to separate the two without denigrating either one. In some places the essays felt a little meandering or even self-satisfied, and yet, this is a style that "works" for a book about letting writing flow to you and through you. And despite that, this book is not "rough" in any way -- one can see the creative whir beneath the finished product, and yet the finished product is still, indisputably, polished.
I haven't yet done any of the writing exercises ("initiations") at the end of each chapter, but I feel confident that sinking into them when I'm finished writing from "A Year in the Life" will give me an even deeper appreciation for this book.
October 15, 2020
Right up there with Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones this book is inspiring and motivational, while at the same time practical and helpful. I appreciate the clarity of her approach to guiding a new writer, or just a writer who is having trouble finding their way. Most of all I appreciated her constant reminder that to be a writer is just to write. Period. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a helpful nudge on their writing journey.
July 30, 2017
I love this book. It is my writing bible.
November 23, 2022
I picked up The Right to Write simply because a pristine used copy crossed my path at a secondhand bookstore a few years ago. I had heard of Julia Cameron's most famous work on writing, The Artist's Way, but had never gotten around to reading it, so I thought The Right to Write might be a good alternative.
It is an easy-to-read book, composed of 43 brief chapters, each followed by a corresponding writing prompt. Cameron has some fabulous insights into writers and the writing life, and my copy of this book is littered with sticky tabs marking quotes I want to save.
From the very first chapter, "Begin":
From her chapter called "Honesty":
From her chapter on "Procrastination":
Cameron believes writing isn't an exclusive club only for the elites, but rather something than anyone can, and should, do. Her desire to free would-be writers or struggling writers from self-imposed limitations and outside criticism shines through in every chapter. If I had to sum up this book in just one word, I'd call it encouraging.
However, overall I'd still give this book only 3 stars, because the majority of the book seems to focus on diving into one's psyche and expressing oneself—helpful up to a point, but repetitive (and possibly narcissistic) after a while.
It is an easy-to-read book, composed of 43 brief chapters, each followed by a corresponding writing prompt. Cameron has some fabulous insights into writers and the writing life, and my copy of this book is littered with sticky tabs marking quotes I want to save.
From the very first chapter, "Begin":
Writing is a lot like driving a country blacktop highway on a hot summer day. There is a wavery magical spot that shimmers on the horizon. You aim toward it. You speed to get there, and when you do, the "there" vanishes. You look up to see it again, shimmering in the distance. You write toward that. I suppose some people might call this unrequited love or dissatisfaction. I think it's something better.
I think it's anticipation. I think it's savoring. I think it's tasting a great meal from its scent on your nostrils. I do not have to eat freshly baked bread to love it. The scent is nearly as delicious, nearly as much the satisfaction as the thick slice of bread slathered with butter and homemade apricot jam.
The brain enjoys writing. It enjoys the act of naming things, the processes of association and discernment. Picking words is like picking apples: this one looks delicious.
From her chapter called "Honesty":
When we are telling the truth about how we feel and what we see, we find very precise language with which to do it. Words do not fail us. When we are disguising to ourselves and others the exact nature of what we thought or how we felt, our prose goes mushy along with our thinking.
From her chapter on "Procrastination":
At its root, procrastination is an investment in fantasy. We are waiting for that mysterious and wonderful moment when we are not only going to be able to write, we are going to be able to write perfectly. The minute we become willing to write imperfectly, we become able to write.
Cameron believes writing isn't an exclusive club only for the elites, but rather something than anyone can, and should, do. Her desire to free would-be writers or struggling writers from self-imposed limitations and outside criticism shines through in every chapter. If I had to sum up this book in just one word, I'd call it encouraging.
However, overall I'd still give this book only 3 stars, because the majority of the book seems to focus on diving into one's psyche and expressing oneself—helpful up to a point, but repetitive (and possibly narcissistic) after a while.
April 7, 2021
Så sjukt bra bok om skrivande!
March 18, 2008
another book i've been reading on and off for years. great to have on hand for those times when the closest i can get to writing is reading about it. also the essay format is perfect for when i can't commit to anything (i.e. writing).
July 6, 2015
I recently finished reading The Right to Write - An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life - by Julia Cameron. As best summarized by the author: " What this book will do, if I have done it well enough, is t talk to you about writing for the sake of writing, for the sheer unadulterated joy of putting words to the page. In other words, this is less a " "how to" book than a "why" book. Why should we write? We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It makes it directly and specifically our own. We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance as well. We should write because writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living. Writing is sensual, experiential, grounding. We should write because writing is good for the soul. We should write because writing yields us a body of work, a felt path through the world we live in."
Below are key excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:
As a result, most of us try to write too carefully. We try to do it "right." We try to sound smart. We try, period. Writing goes much better when we don't work at it so much. When we give ourselves permission to just hang out on the page. For me, writing is like a good pair of pajamas—comfortable. In our culture, writing is more often costumed up in a military outfit. We want our sentences to march in neat little rows, like well-behaved boarding-school children.
If we eliminate the word "writer," if we just go back to writing as an act of listening and naming what we hear, some of the rules disappear. There is an organic shape, a form-coming-into-form that is inherent in the thing we are observing, listening to, and trying to put on the page. It has rules of its own that it will reveal to us if we listen with attention. Shape does not need to be imposed. Shape is part of with attention. Shape does not need to be imposed. Shape is part of what we are listening to. When we just let ourselves write, we get it "right."
Not writing is the lonely thing. Not writing creates self-obsession. Self-obsession blocks connection with others. Self-obsession blocks connection with the self Writing is like looking at an inner compass. We check in and we get our bearings. Ah-ha! I am feeling, thinking. remembering. . . . When we know accurately what it is that we are doing, we tend to be more open, accurate, and affectionate in our dealings: I can miss David, but I can't blame David anymore. I am the one who didn't write enough yesterday.
People who write out of "discipline" are taking a substantial risk. They are setting up a situation against which they may one day strongly rebel. Writing from discipline invites extremism: "I have to do this or I'm a failure." Writing from discipline creates a potential for emotional blackmail: "If I don't write I've got no character." People who write from discipline also take the risk of trying to write from the least open and imaginative part of themselves, the part of them that punches a time clock instead of taking flights of fancy. "Commitment" is a word I prefer to the word "discipline." It is more proactive, more heart-centered, and ultimately more festive and productive. This is not mere semantics. If we are to be involved with writing for the long haul, we want to be comfortable in relationship to it. If we are relating to our writing as a "should" instead of as a desired good, we run the jeopardy of experiencing our writing connection like a thankless marriage: we're there, but we don't want to be. We're thinking of what we're missing.
We are all works in progress. We are all rough drafts. None of us is finished, final, "done." How much healthier and happier if we ignore that mafioso's advice to me and we put "it"—all of "it"—in writing: the flaws, foibles, frills, fantasies, and frailties that make us human. When we connect these dots, we connect.
I like writing to be more portable and flexible. I like writing to be something that fits into cracks and crannies. I don't like it to dominate my life. I like it to fill my life. There is a big difference. When writing dominates a life, relationships suffer—and, not coincidentally, so does the writing. When writing is about being shut off" from the world in a room sequestered with our own important thoughts, we lose the flow of life, the flow of new ideas and input that can shape. improve, and inform that thought. It is a matter of balance. Yes, we need time and space to write, but we do not perhaps need as much time and as much space as we might think. Rather than being a private affair cordoned off" from life as the rest of the world lives it, writing might profitably be seen as an activity best embedded in life, not divorced from it—of course such a view of writing smacks of heresy.
The root of the word "integration" is the smaller word "integer," which means "whole." Too often, racing through life, we become the "hole," not the "whole." We become an unexamined maw into which our encounters and experiences rush unassimilated, leaving us both full and unsatisfied because nothing has been digested and taken in. In order to "integrate" our experiences, we must take them into account against the broader canvas of our life. We must slow down and recognize when currents of change, like movements in a symphony, are moving through us.
In those, and most professions, we assume that an interest in pursuing the career implies a probable proclivity for it and a reasonable chance for success. Not so with writing. The truth is, when you want a writing career and are willing to do the work to get it, the odds work with you, not against you. This is simple metaphysical law. As Goethe advised us, "Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it—for action has magic grace and power in it."
"Scrutinize second," I laid down a rule for myself "Write first and freely."
1. Write daily, even if only Morning Pages. 2. Use tools like Media Deprivation and Blasting Through Blocks to give you a jump-start 3. Watch your telephone consumption. 4. Watch your note production. 5. Set a clock for one half hour's writing time. Pray for the willingness to write—and then write.
"Thou art truly human." To be truly human, we all have the right to make art. We all have the right to write.
A highly recommended read in the areas of communication and writing.
Below are key excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:
As a result, most of us try to write too carefully. We try to do it "right." We try to sound smart. We try, period. Writing goes much better when we don't work at it so much. When we give ourselves permission to just hang out on the page. For me, writing is like a good pair of pajamas—comfortable. In our culture, writing is more often costumed up in a military outfit. We want our sentences to march in neat little rows, like well-behaved boarding-school children.
If we eliminate the word "writer," if we just go back to writing as an act of listening and naming what we hear, some of the rules disappear. There is an organic shape, a form-coming-into-form that is inherent in the thing we are observing, listening to, and trying to put on the page. It has rules of its own that it will reveal to us if we listen with attention. Shape does not need to be imposed. Shape is part of with attention. Shape does not need to be imposed. Shape is part of what we are listening to. When we just let ourselves write, we get it "right."
Not writing is the lonely thing. Not writing creates self-obsession. Self-obsession blocks connection with others. Self-obsession blocks connection with the self Writing is like looking at an inner compass. We check in and we get our bearings. Ah-ha! I am feeling, thinking. remembering. . . . When we know accurately what it is that we are doing, we tend to be more open, accurate, and affectionate in our dealings: I can miss David, but I can't blame David anymore. I am the one who didn't write enough yesterday.
People who write out of "discipline" are taking a substantial risk. They are setting up a situation against which they may one day strongly rebel. Writing from discipline invites extremism: "I have to do this or I'm a failure." Writing from discipline creates a potential for emotional blackmail: "If I don't write I've got no character." People who write from discipline also take the risk of trying to write from the least open and imaginative part of themselves, the part of them that punches a time clock instead of taking flights of fancy. "Commitment" is a word I prefer to the word "discipline." It is more proactive, more heart-centered, and ultimately more festive and productive. This is not mere semantics. If we are to be involved with writing for the long haul, we want to be comfortable in relationship to it. If we are relating to our writing as a "should" instead of as a desired good, we run the jeopardy of experiencing our writing connection like a thankless marriage: we're there, but we don't want to be. We're thinking of what we're missing.
We are all works in progress. We are all rough drafts. None of us is finished, final, "done." How much healthier and happier if we ignore that mafioso's advice to me and we put "it"—all of "it"—in writing: the flaws, foibles, frills, fantasies, and frailties that make us human. When we connect these dots, we connect.
I like writing to be more portable and flexible. I like writing to be something that fits into cracks and crannies. I don't like it to dominate my life. I like it to fill my life. There is a big difference. When writing dominates a life, relationships suffer—and, not coincidentally, so does the writing. When writing is about being shut off" from the world in a room sequestered with our own important thoughts, we lose the flow of life, the flow of new ideas and input that can shape. improve, and inform that thought. It is a matter of balance. Yes, we need time and space to write, but we do not perhaps need as much time and as much space as we might think. Rather than being a private affair cordoned off" from life as the rest of the world lives it, writing might profitably be seen as an activity best embedded in life, not divorced from it—of course such a view of writing smacks of heresy.
The root of the word "integration" is the smaller word "integer," which means "whole." Too often, racing through life, we become the "hole," not the "whole." We become an unexamined maw into which our encounters and experiences rush unassimilated, leaving us both full and unsatisfied because nothing has been digested and taken in. In order to "integrate" our experiences, we must take them into account against the broader canvas of our life. We must slow down and recognize when currents of change, like movements in a symphony, are moving through us.
In those, and most professions, we assume that an interest in pursuing the career implies a probable proclivity for it and a reasonable chance for success. Not so with writing. The truth is, when you want a writing career and are willing to do the work to get it, the odds work with you, not against you. This is simple metaphysical law. As Goethe advised us, "Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it—for action has magic grace and power in it."
"Scrutinize second," I laid down a rule for myself "Write first and freely."
1. Write daily, even if only Morning Pages. 2. Use tools like Media Deprivation and Blasting Through Blocks to give you a jump-start 3. Watch your telephone consumption. 4. Watch your note production. 5. Set a clock for one half hour's writing time. Pray for the willingness to write—and then write.
"Thou art truly human." To be truly human, we all have the right to make art. We all have the right to write.
A highly recommended read in the areas of communication and writing.
June 28, 2019
Несмотря на весь пафос, некоторую возвышенность стиля и идеализацию, книга меня вдохновила, как никакая до этого. Ах да, был еще Стивен Кинг. Со многими мыслями Джулии Кэмэрон я категорически не согласна, хотябы с тем, что писать могут абсолютно все. Я в это не верю, все-таки есть в некоторых людях некий талант к этому, предрасположенность, которая при особенном желании и условиях развивается в нечто грандиозное. Но она права, нужно только попробовать. Ктото закидал Джулии, что она "плодит" писателей-самоучек, бездарных и не особенно талантливых. Я думаю, эту книгу не будут читать кто попало, все-таки люди, которые хоть каким-то образом связанны з писательством, те, кому это интересно. Человек, который никогда в жизни не писал и не думал об этом просто обойдет эту книгу стороной, поэтому некоторые обвинения в ее сторону уж очень резки. Книга милая, открытая, простая, с призывом. После прочтение слово "ну, попробуй" так и вьелось в мысли. И правда, если сесть и взять в руку ручку, да начать писать о том, что на уме, происходит взрыв идей. Реально! Я все-таки попробовала. И, пожалуй, утренними страницами я тоже попробую заняться:)
October 15, 2018
Ця книга здалась мені набагато легшою для слідування і сприйняття ніж Шлях Митця (але звісно вона більш вузькоспеціалізована). Кожен розділ охоплює якусь конкретну проблему, яка заважає нам писати вільно і легко, і потім подається рекомендована письменницька вправа. Дуже круто. Якщо коротко: пишіть багато і все буде.
May 3, 2013
Julia Cameron's "The Right to Write" is more of a writing philosophy work rather than a "how to" book. I actually really liked reading her anecdotes on the writing life and what her experience and advice entailed. I liked her approaches to several different topics, including procrastination, writer's block, the drive to write, among others. And one of the things I really appreciated in this novel is that she completely knocks down the myth/fabrication of what some term as "real" writers versus not. She simply states, somewhat paraphrased: if you write, you are a writer - we are all, in essence, writers of different walks, it's what we choose to do with it and keeping it in practice. She breaks down a lot of mental barriers that writers might have in the process, and she does so with a reassuring, calm voice that carries itself through each topic and page.
I liked thee exercises at the end of each chapter that puts into practice some of the ideas she expounds upon, but really what I got most out of this book were her respective ideas to the writing life, building confidence as a writer, and just how to keep going with ones passion for it. It was a good work, I liked it quite a bit. If I could say one constructively critical thing on it, however, there are places in this where it does tend to meander a little, but I didn't find that to be a deterrent of what I was able to get from this book, and I would certainly return to it again.
Overall score: 4/5
I liked thee exercises at the end of each chapter that puts into practice some of the ideas she expounds upon, but really what I got most out of this book were her respective ideas to the writing life, building confidence as a writer, and just how to keep going with ones passion for it. It was a good work, I liked it quite a bit. If I could say one constructively critical thing on it, however, there are places in this where it does tend to meander a little, but I didn't find that to be a deterrent of what I was able to get from this book, and I would certainly return to it again.
Overall score: 4/5
October 2, 2019
“Writing says wherever you are is meaningful...”
Who thinks they’re good at writing in the beginning? Julia Cameron does. She takes you gently by the hand and tells the reader you don’t need to know how to craft a story or feel inspired, you just need to be patient with yourself and begin. And keep going!
“…daily writing is both the room you are living in and the doorway to the world just beyond.”
Morning Pages is one technique she suggests everyone try for 90 days to free their inner voice—three handwritten pages every morning.
She is convinced, as I am, that writing helps us appreciate our lives, slow down to behold our blessings and circumstances, and free clogged self-expression.
“…in writing about my life I cherish it. I value it. I see it. Writing is the act of opening the eye to the absolute beauty of ordinary things. That is dailiness and dailiness is sanity.”
Since beginning The Right to Write, my writing production has increased in quantity and quality. I write more authentically and comfortably. I don’t worry about getting it right while I’m getting it down. That’s for the revision.
Each chapter ends with Initiation Tool writing exercises that shake off writer’s block rust and encourages flow.
More than 2/3 in, I wish to stop because the book has fulfilled its purpose. My writer’s soul feels nurtured and welcome. What else do I need to fuel my writing life?
Who thinks they’re good at writing in the beginning? Julia Cameron does. She takes you gently by the hand and tells the reader you don’t need to know how to craft a story or feel inspired, you just need to be patient with yourself and begin. And keep going!
“…daily writing is both the room you are living in and the doorway to the world just beyond.”
Morning Pages is one technique she suggests everyone try for 90 days to free their inner voice—three handwritten pages every morning.
She is convinced, as I am, that writing helps us appreciate our lives, slow down to behold our blessings and circumstances, and free clogged self-expression.
“…in writing about my life I cherish it. I value it. I see it. Writing is the act of opening the eye to the absolute beauty of ordinary things. That is dailiness and dailiness is sanity.”
Since beginning The Right to Write, my writing production has increased in quantity and quality. I write more authentically and comfortably. I don’t worry about getting it right while I’m getting it down. That’s for the revision.
Each chapter ends with Initiation Tool writing exercises that shake off writer’s block rust and encourages flow.
More than 2/3 in, I wish to stop because the book has fulfilled its purpose. My writer’s soul feels nurtured and welcome. What else do I need to fuel my writing life?
February 13, 2020
In the movie Sideways, the character Maya talks about her affinity for wine, how it fascinates her that the day she opens a bottle of wine it will taste differently than any other day she decides to open it. I agree with this philosophy, so too do I find it with books - the day you choose a particular book to read might impact you differently if you choose to read it at another point in your lifetime. Occasionally, the stars align where you read a book at the exact right moment you are meant to read it. That is how I feel about Julia Cameron's The Right to Write, as I take on a literary project that is not my first, but an undertaking nonetheless. In a world where our inner (and outer) critics will often prompt our insecure selves to put down our pens or laptops forever and abandon any hopes of writing as a career or simply for pleasure, Cameron's nurturing style opens up a world of possibilities to the reader, encouraging them that they are on the right track, just keep at it. After all, we all need to start somewhere. If you are in agreement that you personally or society in general is in need of more creativity above all else, check out this wonderful book, and if you enjoy it, follow it with The Artist's Way. I now need to go add Vein of Gold to my to-read list.
August 12, 2008
Julia Cameron certainly makes one feel like they should write, often and without hesitation. Essentially, she holds up the banner of writing for the sake of writing, not for publication or profit.
It's therapeutic. It teaches us to be better communicators and human beings. It's spiritual. It invites us to be creators rather than spectators. Cameron captures a certain passion that makes the reader hungry to break out pen and journal.
There are moments of navel gazing and self-congratulatory passages that are, perhaps, unavoidable. Still, The Right to Write reminds us that we are all creative beings, and the act of writing should be done not to gain notoriety, but to gain access to an untapped part of our own spirits and souls.
It's therapeutic. It teaches us to be better communicators and human beings. It's spiritual. It invites us to be creators rather than spectators. Cameron captures a certain passion that makes the reader hungry to break out pen and journal.
There are moments of navel gazing and self-congratulatory passages that are, perhaps, unavoidable. Still, The Right to Write reminds us that we are all creative beings, and the act of writing should be done not to gain notoriety, but to gain access to an untapped part of our own spirits and souls.
July 8, 2015
I really liked this book. Generally I enjoy books about writing because they make me want to write even more myself. This one really did inspire me, especially as I'm having a writer's block at the moment. Several chapters hit the mark perfectly - I thought "yeah, that's me, exactly..." and I found that all the reasons as to why I'm not writing or even trying to write were turned into dust. I will definitely use this book and its exercises to get my writing going again. How lucky I was to "have to" read this for school!
December 31, 2018
Very few books do I keep after I’ve finished reading them. This one will stay on my shelf because I think I could pick it up any day, open to a random page, and feel inspiration. I might read the whole thing through again some day too.
August 17, 2019
I took two years to read this book in bits and pieces, working through an exercise here and there. It is the perfect salve and healing space to come to whether one is feeling lost or building momentum as a writer.
April 19, 2011
Read this for school. It was an ok read. Liked those little assignments at the end of every chapter.
This would be good for someone who's kind of in a writing "rut".
This would be good for someone who's kind of in a writing "rut".
Currently reading
February 9, 2011What a great book. Following this book chapter by chapter will make anyone a writer.
November 11, 2015
This book is full of absolute gold.
May 27, 2017
Очень хорошая книга! Легла на мое мировоззрение. Всем, кто хочет писать - рекомендую.
June 18, 2018
Рекомендую всем, кто считает, что не умеет писать, кто боится писать или часто прокрастинирует над чистым листом. Мне книга очень помогла в моих страхах.
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