A few years ago I started working through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, a week-by-week program to discover and recover the creative self in anyone with an artistic dream. One of the best components of the program is the writing of “morning pages” — three longhand pages of whatever comes to mind, first thing each day. At the time I thought this was a silly exercise, and that my writings had to be perfect and distinguished. How would I fill three pages of thoughts, my thoughts, which I tend to carefully turn over and over before they find voice?
After a few days of this I realized I was suddenly creating a volume of ‘work.’ I created lists, poems, stories about my grandfather, jokes and even doodles. My mind started to open up and I felt a sense of freedom, like something had to get out, and once it did, I could go on with my day. And of course, the best part was that it was okay that some of it (if not a most of it) made no real sense. It was just fine…and fun to write.
I’ve gone in and out of phases of writing morning pages, but in times of not writing feel called to get back at it. Now we’ve entered the blog world. Typed words this time, perhaps a video instead of a doodle, but who knows. And this time for you to see, instantly.
When I go back to my pages, whether they’re typed or scribbled, I find the real treasure: a journey from one idea to the next, connected day after day. It’s an exciting re-discovery.
Keep writing.
