The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life

Unleash Your Creativity and Live The Writer's Life

Having delved into Julia Cameron's best-selling book, The Artist's Way, a self-help guide to unblocking creativity and realizing artistic potential, I've been exploring her other books as well. The Right to Write is rooted in the same fundamentals as The Artist's Way. But whereas The Artist's Way is more a workshop in book format supporting all types of creativity (writing, painting, acting, filmmaking, etc.), The Right to Write is a collection of essays finely tailored specifically to writers.

Cameron firmly believes, and states frequently, that everyone can and should write. By writing, she explains, we get to know ourselves better. By writing about what we truly care about, rather than for current market trends, we have the potential to create something magnificent, something that creates new market trends. So many writing instruction books focus specifically on the craft: how to structure sentences, how to create memorable characters, how to move plot forward, etc. These books all assume that the writer has established a writing routine and is already writing. What about those would-be writers struggling to get started or writers whose creativity is blocked? Cameron delivers not a "how to write" manual, but rather a "how to be a writer" manual.

Cameron makes a point of dealing with and dismissing common myths about writers (writers must be miserable loners; writers must be published to be real writers; only those people with brand new original ideas should write). She clearly explains that everyone has original ideas because everyone is an original human being. Cameron also delves into several topics very uncomfortable for most writers: procrastination, the ability to get published, dealing with criticism and negative feedback from others, and making yourself vulnerable by putting your writing out there for the world to see.

Critical to this text is Cameron's examination of the issues and events in our lives that may have contributed to blocked creativity. From lack of encouragement by parents and friends to not spending enough time nurturing the inner artist and spending time alone, Cameron gives solid advice as to how the would-be or blocked writer can tackle these issues and overcome their influence.

Several of the essays begin with detailed descriptions of the sights, scents, weather, and décor of the environments in which Cameron is creating these essays. While the point is made that environment can impact how a writer is writing and what she is writing about, the details are overkill. At several points, the reader wants to say, "Get to the point." Also interwoven into the essays are other experiences within Cameron's personal life: comments on relationships with her daughter, friends, and lovers. This commentary, while making the point that writing is a form of therapy, is almost uncomfortable at times, as the reader may not be used such personal passages when reading a manual on writing instruction.

With The Right to Write, Julia Cameron has created a text critical to any writer's collection of how-to manuals. Whereas most books in this category assume they are dealing with active writers, Cameron focuses on helping the struggling writer implement sustainable habits that promote a constant flow of creative ideas that result in deeply productive writing sessions.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A great gift for any of the writers in your life

The Right to Write is a great all-purpose writing book. It's perfect for a number of writers: those who are new to writing; those who are interested in writing but perhaps intimidated by the thought of putting pen to paper; those who've been writing awhile but find themselves blocked; even those who just want to put a little playfulness back into the work of the writing they already do. In The Right to Write, Julia Cameron offers several short insights into a writer's lifestyle, each accompanied by an exercise. Some may appeal to the reader, some may not, but the goal is to help writers---at whatever stage of their writer's life they may be---find strength, confidence, and joy in their writing.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A must

An absolute must have for any aspiring writer.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent

Julia Cameron knows of what she writes! She has a special way with words that heal and inspire readers to keep writing! You can't just read this book without writing. Julia's warm wit, candor and simple message: 'Just do it' teach us that writing can be done anytime, anyplace. She also throws in some jewels of her own poetry. In a word: Brilliant.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent for those serious about writing!

This was an excellent resource - it opened my eyes to new ways of looking at and approaching the writing process. I got tired of reading about how hard writing is and how impossible it is to get published - this book is the complete opposite. I had already started reading other authors that talked about the joy of the writing process, and Cameron's book was an excellent addition to my collection. I really have started to enjoy her morning pages and I have learned to relax and enjoy the process instead of agonizing over every writing choice I make. I would definitely recommend this to all writers.

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