"...I used my constant reading of nonfiction as a way to numb out. I also realized that instead of filling my well at the end of the day by spending time drawing, knitting, playing with my dog, or talking to another human, for example, I usually went straight to reading a nonfiction book where I could learn something. My poor brain was never getting a break. I was addicted to information—I always needed to know more and be more informed, which I came to see as the block of perfectionism. I also was spending too much time reading other people's ideas and not making enough room for my own ideas to germinate."
OOF. This really struck a chord, Kirsten. I'll be pondering this for a while...!
And me, I do Domestika courses of an evening, watching other artists create in order to learn from them, time to bring back the evening sketchbook and walking now the nights are longer here in the UK
Yes, it resonates with me and is causing me to press pause on my non-fiction work. As a historical fiction writer I feel I have to break down the society into religion, gender, philosophy, war...and so many other facets, reading ad infinitum until I become 'bright enough' to be able to justify my work. Yet my characters derive from a deep well and the best writing comes when I ease back, let go. Of course some reading and analysis is important but the meaning only comes if I relax and listen deeply to the deep inner and the deep outer.
Me, too! Kirsten just diagnosed my problem. Kind of an addiction, really. Add to this podcasts, which I really enjoy. I have learned a great deal, but my brain never gets a rest. Even on my walks, I'm listening to information...and usually not about creativity or writing.
I am another Artist Way drop out. This post reminds me it is time to do the WHOLE PROGRAM. And I read ALL THE TIME. I think it is a way of numbing out for me. I intend to read novels this summer and go back to do The Artist Way all the way through. Just the discipline of it will be good for me. Thank you for this remembrance and encouragement.
That's actually what I did regarding the 'reading issue.'...for about three months, I only let myself read novels unless I had to read nonfiction for work, but that would have to be done during work hours. I have pretty much stuck to this, though now and then, I'll read nonfiction in nonwork hours, but it's more of a one-off than a regular thing
I too did the Artist’s Way back in the 90s. It seems to be a game-changer for a lot of people.
Tried the Morning Pages back in the day, but honestly, it ended up shutting me down creatively. I guess I needed different outlets at the time. In a weird way, though, it was helpful! It made me realize how much I felt like I was blocked as a writer, and that led me to therapy to deal with some much deeper childhood stuff. Turns out, those issues weren't really accessible through writing for me anyway. My material was pre-verbal and drawing helped me more than writing did at the time.
Great post. Thank you. Read half of the Artist’s Way sometime back and found myself nodding along as concepts hit home and felt my writer’s soul politely knocking on the door, coughing and clearing her throat, asking me to listen but life got in the way and I never fully committed to completing all of the exercises as part of the twelve week programme. You’ve inspired me to recommit and whilst some personal challenges ongoing, I think actually it’s what I need to keep carrying me on and through. Thank you for sharing and the gentle nudge.
When I sort of retired from teaching, I started to do the whole program, as laid out in the book. I got through about 4 or 5 weeks, then I stalled out. I had a really hard time doing Artist's dates. From your words I'm seeing that I should have paid more attention to that. I'm also thinking it may have been too soon. I think I needed to fully detox before doing this. You're inspiring me to give it another go.
yes i think timing is important. my first artists date was actually to go to a Alamo Draft House and see Mean Girls and eat junky food. It was so fun! So sometimes it’s high minded and othertimes not so much.
Thank you Kirsten! I’m burning out and spending much of my time numbing out with books and my phone. It isn’t fulfilling. I’m desperate to create. You’ve inspired me to get this book and give it a serious go. It never occurred to me to write in the morning…! I’ve bookmarked this post so I can return to it. ❤️
I did The Artist’s Way back in the late ‘90s. Did it again with a writer friend last year while I was unemployed. Now that I’m working again, need to revisit it to fill the well and feed my soul…knitting, writing, cooking, savoring delight…thanks for your posts!!
I love Artist Dates and as part of Summer Brennan’s A Year of Writing Dangerously I’m taking part in this year, I started to adopt them and noticed the significant change in myself. The last few weeks I’ve been busy with work and been unwell, I’ve missed those dates. I’m off to Washington DC.this weekend for work and Sunday and my client is taking me on a sightseeing tour. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been proper sightseeing and I’m excited to be present and absorb! Your post has been a really good reminder, thank you x
Oh gosh, I just came off of a 12 week group read of this book! She definitely nails the ways academia blocks creativity (speaking as an academic). I found it to be really useful book, especially around letting go of some subtle but toxic thinking. Her book and the process helped me start my own substack. Looking forward to your next post and her new book!
Love the timing of this! We’re in the middle of a move and a brand new empty canvas of life awaits! A bit daunting yet so exciting! I will check out “The Artist’s Way” to set the path into greater freedom and creativity with Holy Spirit. Thank you!
This was such a richly thought-provoking piece, Kirsten, thank you for sharing. So much here that resonated with me. This realization you had of "spending too much time reading other people's ideas and not making enough room for my own ideas to germinate. " Guilty of that, too, especially here on Substack where I subscribe to more newsletters than I can possibly read. And while another's ideas or writing often send me to my own journal to do my own reflecting, it is not quite as pure as sitting in stillness and letting my own mind and imagination give birth to the ideas within me. And the "blocked artist's career." Yes to that, too. I became a newspaper reporter after graduating with a double major in English literature and journalism (already the duality present/the yearning self and the pragmatic self) while what I really wanted was to write novels. And so now in my 60s, the novel writing that has always been relegated to the fringes of my life is now, post-divorce and caregiving for now grown daughters and an elderly parent with dementia, is now reclaimed. I have done the Artist's Way "by the letter" twice in my life but maintained the Morning Pages as a practice since my mid-30s when I discovered the book. You now inspire me to do it again in the way Julia Cameron intended because artist's dates have fallen by the wayside, and it is time to reclaim them. I am glad you are claiming your identity as a writer. When you told your friend how hard it is to support oneself as a writer, I related as well, too, because I chose a path, after newspaper journalism, of corporate writing, becoming the sole breadwinner in my marriage (the root of its eventual demise) because I thought, how can I earn a living as a creative writer, the writer that sits at the core of me? Now I am finally ready to take that leap.
I'm only half-way through reading this essay and stopped to order a new copy of The Artist's Way (I gave my original to a friend years ago). My original copy was highlighted, flagged with Post-It flags and filled me with the gusto to embrace my creative life! And then, I couldn't bear writing three pages every day (most days, it was two) and while I kept promising myself artist's dates, they rarely every happened (nor did I afford myself a 20-minute walk alone). And I didn't do any of the exercises. And then I just forgot about it.
Having just completed two of Barbara Sher's books (and doing every exercise in the books), I'm sold on the value and importance of following through with exercises, so this time around, I'm vowing to complete every exercise in The Artist's Way AND ensure those dates happen every week!
Let me know how it goes! Also, if you only write two pages, then only write two. I'm a big believer in not letting perfect be the enemy of good. If you did two pages but also did the artist's date, that would be meaningful. Also, some days, I didn't have time to do MP and the journal prompt, and so I didn't. We don't want it to turn into another stressor in our lives!
Like you, I took a half-@$$'d approach to The Artist's Way years ago — and had about the same result you did. At the time I was working and had kids in school and doing pretty much all of the "second shift" stuff myself — so those weekly creative dates with myself just felt out of reach. But you're giving me a powerful nudge to give it another go, with full engagement this time.
it’s really amazing how different is when you follow it more closely. The artists dates were hard at first bc i felt like I didn’t have timebut then i became really excited about them.
I think this article adequately demonstrates that you have the gifts necessary to thrive as either that of an Artist or as that of an Intellectual Kirsten.
To realise we might be on the wrong path or that there could be a better path requires I think both a little bit of insight and intellect combined.
So with Artistic Intelligence you then have the ability to guide your thinking to change to change your behavior to allow you to make, "Art"!
"...I used my constant reading of nonfiction as a way to numb out. I also realized that instead of filling my well at the end of the day by spending time drawing, knitting, playing with my dog, or talking to another human, for example, I usually went straight to reading a nonfiction book where I could learn something. My poor brain was never getting a break. I was addicted to information—I always needed to know more and be more informed, which I came to see as the block of perfectionism. I also was spending too much time reading other people's ideas and not making enough room for my own ideas to germinate."
OOF. This really struck a chord, Kirsten. I'll be pondering this for a while...!
And me, I do Domestika courses of an evening, watching other artists create in order to learn from them, time to bring back the evening sketchbook and walking now the nights are longer here in the UK
Yes, it resonates with me and is causing me to press pause on my non-fiction work. As a historical fiction writer I feel I have to break down the society into religion, gender, philosophy, war...and so many other facets, reading ad infinitum until I become 'bright enough' to be able to justify my work. Yet my characters derive from a deep well and the best writing comes when I ease back, let go. Of course some reading and analysis is important but the meaning only comes if I relax and listen deeply to the deep inner and the deep outer.
This struck a chord with me too.
I did this too with self-help books! Playing is essential
Same!!!
Me, too! Kirsten just diagnosed my problem. Kind of an addiction, really. Add to this podcasts, which I really enjoy. I have learned a great deal, but my brain never gets a rest. Even on my walks, I'm listening to information...and usually not about creativity or writing.
I am another Artist Way drop out. This post reminds me it is time to do the WHOLE PROGRAM. And I read ALL THE TIME. I think it is a way of numbing out for me. I intend to read novels this summer and go back to do The Artist Way all the way through. Just the discipline of it will be good for me. Thank you for this remembrance and encouragement.
That's actually what I did regarding the 'reading issue.'...for about three months, I only let myself read novels unless I had to read nonfiction for work, but that would have to be done during work hours. I have pretty much stuck to this, though now and then, I'll read nonfiction in nonwork hours, but it's more of a one-off than a regular thing
She has a new book, and I’ve just started reading it! It’s an update to the initial 12-week programme
Amazon just delivered my copy!
Well worth it - it becomes an companion
I too did the Artist’s Way back in the 90s. It seems to be a game-changer for a lot of people.
Tried the Morning Pages back in the day, but honestly, it ended up shutting me down creatively. I guess I needed different outlets at the time. In a weird way, though, it was helpful! It made me realize how much I felt like I was blocked as a writer, and that led me to therapy to deal with some much deeper childhood stuff. Turns out, those issues weren't really accessible through writing for me anyway. My material was pre-verbal and drawing helped me more than writing did at the time.
Great post. Thank you. Read half of the Artist’s Way sometime back and found myself nodding along as concepts hit home and felt my writer’s soul politely knocking on the door, coughing and clearing her throat, asking me to listen but life got in the way and I never fully committed to completing all of the exercises as part of the twelve week programme. You’ve inspired me to recommit and whilst some personal challenges ongoing, I think actually it’s what I need to keep carrying me on and through. Thank you for sharing and the gentle nudge.
let me know how it goes! i don't think you will regret it.
When I sort of retired from teaching, I started to do the whole program, as laid out in the book. I got through about 4 or 5 weeks, then I stalled out. I had a really hard time doing Artist's dates. From your words I'm seeing that I should have paid more attention to that. I'm also thinking it may have been too soon. I think I needed to fully detox before doing this. You're inspiring me to give it another go.
yes i think timing is important. my first artists date was actually to go to a Alamo Draft House and see Mean Girls and eat junky food. It was so fun! So sometimes it’s high minded and othertimes not so much.
I love the artist dates - they can be anything - like gathering sea shells and creating a collage
Thank you Kirsten! I’m burning out and spending much of my time numbing out with books and my phone. It isn’t fulfilling. I’m desperate to create. You’ve inspired me to get this book and give it a serious go. It never occurred to me to write in the morning…! I’ve bookmarked this post so I can return to it. ❤️
I think you will love it. Let me know how it goes!
Once again, it is embarrassing having you crawl inside my head like this.
But seriously, thank you. I needed this tonight.
haha i hear that a lot actually
I did The Artist’s Way back in the late ‘90s. Did it again with a writer friend last year while I was unemployed. Now that I’m working again, need to revisit it to fill the well and feed my soul…knitting, writing, cooking, savoring delight…thanks for your posts!!
I love Artist Dates and as part of Summer Brennan’s A Year of Writing Dangerously I’m taking part in this year, I started to adopt them and noticed the significant change in myself. The last few weeks I’ve been busy with work and been unwell, I’ve missed those dates. I’m off to Washington DC.this weekend for work and Sunday and my client is taking me on a sightseeing tour. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been proper sightseeing and I’m excited to be present and absorb! Your post has been a really good reminder, thank you x
It really is amazing what a difference it makes isn’t it? It seems like such a small thing and yet it feeds our soul so much.
I don’t know if I commented on the right place but I would LOVE to be included for the online community for the Artist Date please! Xx
could you leave your comment on this post so i am sure to include you? https://kirstenpowers.substack.com/p/weekly-edition-08?r=180ck&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
Oh gosh, I just came off of a 12 week group read of this book! She definitely nails the ways academia blocks creativity (speaking as an academic). I found it to be really useful book, especially around letting go of some subtle but toxic thinking. Her book and the process helped me start my own substack. Looking forward to your next post and her new book!
Love the timing of this! We’re in the middle of a move and a brand new empty canvas of life awaits! A bit daunting yet so exciting! I will check out “The Artist’s Way” to set the path into greater freedom and creativity with Holy Spirit. Thank you!
you are going to love it!
Kirsten,
Very helpful post. You describe the Artist's Way in a manner that is accessible and relatable. Refilling the well is a concept that makes great sense.
thanks david!
This was such a richly thought-provoking piece, Kirsten, thank you for sharing. So much here that resonated with me. This realization you had of "spending too much time reading other people's ideas and not making enough room for my own ideas to germinate. " Guilty of that, too, especially here on Substack where I subscribe to more newsletters than I can possibly read. And while another's ideas or writing often send me to my own journal to do my own reflecting, it is not quite as pure as sitting in stillness and letting my own mind and imagination give birth to the ideas within me. And the "blocked artist's career." Yes to that, too. I became a newspaper reporter after graduating with a double major in English literature and journalism (already the duality present/the yearning self and the pragmatic self) while what I really wanted was to write novels. And so now in my 60s, the novel writing that has always been relegated to the fringes of my life is now, post-divorce and caregiving for now grown daughters and an elderly parent with dementia, is now reclaimed. I have done the Artist's Way "by the letter" twice in my life but maintained the Morning Pages as a practice since my mid-30s when I discovered the book. You now inspire me to do it again in the way Julia Cameron intended because artist's dates have fallen by the wayside, and it is time to reclaim them. I am glad you are claiming your identity as a writer. When you told your friend how hard it is to support oneself as a writer, I related as well, too, because I chose a path, after newspaper journalism, of corporate writing, becoming the sole breadwinner in my marriage (the root of its eventual demise) because I thought, how can I earn a living as a creative writer, the writer that sits at the core of me? Now I am finally ready to take that leap.
I’m so glad that it resonated with you, and I’m even happier that you are taking the leap!
I'm only half-way through reading this essay and stopped to order a new copy of The Artist's Way (I gave my original to a friend years ago). My original copy was highlighted, flagged with Post-It flags and filled me with the gusto to embrace my creative life! And then, I couldn't bear writing three pages every day (most days, it was two) and while I kept promising myself artist's dates, they rarely every happened (nor did I afford myself a 20-minute walk alone). And I didn't do any of the exercises. And then I just forgot about it.
Having just completed two of Barbara Sher's books (and doing every exercise in the books), I'm sold on the value and importance of following through with exercises, so this time around, I'm vowing to complete every exercise in The Artist's Way AND ensure those dates happen every week!
Thanks for the mid-week inspiration Kirsten!
Let me know how it goes! Also, if you only write two pages, then only write two. I'm a big believer in not letting perfect be the enemy of good. If you did two pages but also did the artist's date, that would be meaningful. Also, some days, I didn't have time to do MP and the journal prompt, and so I didn't. We don't want it to turn into another stressor in our lives!
Like you, I took a half-@$$'d approach to The Artist's Way years ago — and had about the same result you did. At the time I was working and had kids in school and doing pretty much all of the "second shift" stuff myself — so those weekly creative dates with myself just felt out of reach. But you're giving me a powerful nudge to give it another go, with full engagement this time.
it’s really amazing how different is when you follow it more closely. The artists dates were hard at first bc i felt like I didn’t have timebut then i became really excited about them.
I think this article adequately demonstrates that you have the gifts necessary to thrive as either that of an Artist or as that of an Intellectual Kirsten.
To realise we might be on the wrong path or that there could be a better path requires I think both a little bit of insight and intellect combined.
So with Artistic Intelligence you then have the ability to guide your thinking to change to change your behavior to allow you to make, "Art"!
A win win situation I think Kirsten.
Best Regards.
Mark.
that’s very kind Mark