My favorite part of The Artist's Way

and some inspiration for your Thursday

Good hot morrow cousins (in the northern hemisphere, anyway),

This week, I did a guest post for

Gabbie

of New Bands for Old Heads discussing my picks for the Lilith Fair revival that will, no doubt, be announced imminently (based on the incredible reception the post is getting).

If you’re as jazzed as I am about speculating a lineup, please check it out:

What New Bands Belong on the Lilith Fair Stage in 2025?

Otherwise, we are at that point in the summer when it seems like the whole world is on vacation, so I thought I would give you something gently thought-provoking and fun.

Today we’re keeping it light and talking about the seminal text on creative courage— The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

Have you read it? Have you done the exercises?

What a trip, huh?!

I’m going to share my favorite part below, and I hope you’ll share yours in the comments.

xxC

---

Songpairing

*** This is a little kooky. Who knew that the Lizard King could sing like Frank Sinatra (or Seth McFarlane)? Just a reminder to try new and different things… ***

---

I initially bought my copy of The Artist’s Way in 2005.

I had some artsy college friends that got the idea to start an “Artist’s Way” work group. We were to meet weekly at 8am to discuss that week’s chapter and its corresponding exercises.

…except that 8am does not exist to most 21-year-old college students. No one showed up and the group petered out after week one. Or at least I think it did? I barely made it the first week and never went back.

But twenty years later, having discovered the magic of early morning solitude, I was finally ready.

I just recently finished all 12 weeks, and it is full of gems! And!—those gems will help you mine for gold within yourself (har har har). I hope this post can inspire you towards incorporating it into your creative journey (early mornings are not necessary, by the way).

Part of its charm, is how it *orders you* to recall and re-experience the activities that brought you joy in childhood. It inspired me to sign up for tap dance again, and to go horseback riding.

However, it also mandates revisiting less-pleasant memories...

Like the time in 6th grade when you were assigned to read out loud in front of the class, and got made fun of for your over-the-top theatrical delivery of “Number the Stars.”

(I wanted to be an actress, guys)

(…or at least I did until that moment)

How have the circumstances in your life shaped you, limited you and silenced you? Who were you at the start?

Can you get back there?

These are the questions you can expect to explore in The Artist’s Way.

One of my favorite little details of the book js the inspirational quotes printed in the margins of every page. I highlighted my favorites¹, and I’m sharing them here for you now.

Oof. Amen to that.

(FYI I had not heard of Margaret Young so I looked her up. She was a singer and vaudeville comedian in the 1920s.)

Ok, this one might be my favorite. It’s from writer and teacher Leslie McIntyre, who is principally known, it seems, as the author of this incredible quote:

Oh, thats all?!

I don’t know who Susan Jeffers is, either, except that she’s a smart lady. ²

We’re going to end this with some wise french authors…

There. Now go do some cool creative shit!

Or…hit up the comments…

Do you vibe with inspirational quotes?

How about these ones in particular?

Which one spoke to you the most?

---

I put out a song two weeks ago.

I played it for my mom, who doesn’t care about anything creative I do, and she was like, “This should be on the radio.” I think thats good. Thanks mom!

---

1. You’ll definitely want a good highlighter for this book, by the way.

2. Update: She was the bestselling author of several 80s and 90s self-help books, including “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.”