Everyday Canvas

Writers

Julia Cameron says, "We have hidden associations with the term" Writer". Do you agree or disagree?
Try this exercise she recommends to clear the debris that keeps us from the page.
Writers are...
Writers are...
Writers are...
Writers are...
Writers are...
Now, Convert the negative associations to positive.

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I like Julia Cameron a lot. Starting with the Artist’s Way, I read several of her books. To me, she makes sense in a psycho-spiritual way. The psycho part could be what the old-fashioned publishers would think, but anything psycho suits me. In addition, most of what she says fits me to a tee.

As to the term writer, some people do have hidden associations with the term writer, and I was subjected to some of those hidden stuff in my life, such as, “A girl of your caliber, shouldn’t you be pursuing a real profession,” or “Do something real (or worthwhile or money and time worthy; just put in any adjective in there.)”

As if opposing to such ideas, true writers do not have hidden negative associations about being a writer. If they are hiding anything, or rather, their positive feeling for the art of it, it is probably for self-defense.

I respect writing and all writers who use their art or craft in the most humanly way possible. Some of us may be suffering from those hidden associations, having been repeatedly brain-washed by the unknowing public. Others may feel slightly self-conscious to call themselves a writer, fearing unwelcome remarks. I have a little bit of the latter in me, but I never looked down on the writers’ being writers or the art of writing. If anything, writing is the most valuable thing in the world, no matter where the actual accomplishment of it lies. As to being kept off the page, nothing keeps me off the page except real life demands, which I meet with minimum compliance.

Here is the exercise:

Writers are everywhere nowadays, and nothing could make me happier. Oh, okay, one thing could add to my happiness if the self-publishing writers would take their time to edit better and the beginning writers would take their time to learn the basics of grammar and punctuation.

Writers are better readers than most anyone. If they didn’t like to read, they wouldn’t want to write. Sometimes, I think I like reading much better than writing.

Writers are in different colors with their habits, likes, and dislikes. That is why there is so much variety in the books available today. Although most writers seek solitude at least some of the time, others enjoy being in the thick of life. Think Ernest Hemingway, for example. He did both.

Writers are writing everywhere and anywhere. When they don’t have the implements of their craft--pen, pencil, paper, computers or other electronics to write with—they write inside their heads and hope they don’t forget what they tried to etch into their brains.

Writers are word-crazy and art-crazy. When we can’t find the words we need, we make them up. We also like to break the so-called tried-and-true writing rules once in a while for originality’s sake. In a nutshell, we have the knack of finding pleasure in the joy or the pain of our craft, always.