I went through her first book, The Artist's Way, twice with a group and once on my own and it is with joy that I return to a new securing of time and place for my writing. The Daily Quota is exactly what I was missing--without accountability or deadlines we can go our whole lives and never touch those dreams. No one cares if I ever finish my novel, but each time I keep that commitment, hope grows in my heart. Thank you Julia for another writing guide and thank you Net Galley for my copy of Write for Life. Wonderful.

This book is absolutely a must for anyone who wants a practical roadmap to writing anything. With clear direction and lots of personal examples - Julia Cameron has really written something that all writers should read. This book was easy to digest and the practical applications and challenges were doable.

Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Cameron is extremely well known for a handful of techniques introduced in her book The Artist's Way. Her newest book, Write for Life, is a more focused six week guide designed to grow a regular writing practice. There are some repetitions here: morning pages, artist dates. She also shares many of her personal work habits blended with personal narratives.

These techniques are tried and true, but limited new ground is covered. I recommend this book most strongly for those new to Julia Cameron's work or those who have read but perhaps not implemented the techniques in The Artist's Way.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Julia Cameron for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

After Julia Cameron's popular book The Artist's Way, she has now published a more focused edition for authors; Write for Life offers a six-week guide to beginning or fostering a regular practice of writing .

These pages will be familiar to readers who have encountered The Artist's Way: a focus on a higher power, artist dates, and morning pages again find a home here. At times, this text can feel repetitive, replete with testimonials and name dropping. One can understand, though, how there are only so many ways to say "just write." However, the chapter summaries are good touchstones and would be helpful to revisit when one feels stymied. Cameron's five-decade career as a writer in multiple genres is notable, though, so her expertise and qualifications aren't questioned: she has proven these habits work for her and have also worked for countless others seeking to establish successful habits.

The highlight of the book for me was the final section (Week Six: Celebrate Your Achievement), where Cameron digs into the editing process and concrete approaches to take once a first draft is finished, including outlining, how to frame requests for feedback, and similar.

For those who haven't previously read The Artist's Way but are interested in writing, this is the volume to pick up for focused advice.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Author Julia Cameron is celebrated for her work in "The Artist's Way" and this book works amazing to reinforce the teachings there, or to be a starting point. While the Artist's Way shares a focus for all creatives, Write for Life speaks to writers.

While it is intended as a 6-week course, I devoured this book. It will be great to revisit for a week by week reread. I had experienced extraordinary changes in my life beyond just the practice of writing since implementing the strategies in this book. I am not exaggerating when I say that Write for Life has positively changed my life!

I most notably loved the focus on the activity of Morning Pages from the lens of a writer. Thank you, Julia Cameron for your teachings and continuing to share them!

I love Julia Cameron's The Artist Way and The Artist Way at Work, so I knew I would like this book as well. I would definitely recommend it. Although I have to say that if you are already familiar with The Artist's Way, this book will not be much of a surprise as it is really just the same techniques, but aimed at writing instead of art.

Whether one desires to write prose, poetry, a play, or some other genre, Write for Life is an enjoyable read for aspiring authors. Cameron writes with an encouraging tone as she equips the reader with a practical, manageable, and creative roadmap for writing. She uses examples from her and other authors' lived experiences emphasizing the heart, intuition, and commitment it takes to complete a writing project while also the "down to earth" achievability of the pursuit. The book includes helpful summary questions at the end of each chapter to put the material into action. At times I experienced Cameron's personal narratives about the weather and her dog distracting, but overall I enjoyed and recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Essentials for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Not a Game-Changer

Cameron has a long life of writing under her belt- and that is superb!
However, I was expecting more actionable advice with clear directives. Instead, we get sub sectioned chapters that feel like personal justifications rather than advice. This book is largely 'this is how I write and this is why I do it this way'. There is no larger science or concepts to employ.

The most beneficial component are the tasks at the end of each chapter, where the author takes the concepts she discussed in the chapter and provides exercises for the budding writer. 'For this week answer these prompts, do this exercise, or set these goals.'

While they may be useful to some, they did not serve me. Especially since several chapter's tasks felt downright repetitive.

I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about Julia Cameron's methodology, or a beginning writer looking to build first habits.

[Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

I'm familiar with Cameron's earlier book 'The Artist's Way' = I have the book and the workbook - - so I was interested to see her expertise applied to writing. There are some very good tips in here for the aspiring writer.

The book, aimed at inspiring and optimistic writers and creatives of all levels, serves as a gentle reminder to prioritize and nurture your creative self daily. Author Julia Cameron, with over 50 years of writing experience and numerous successful works, including "The Artist's Way" published over three decades ago, brings a wealth of wisdom and practical insights to the book. Although the content may seem repetitive to some, it provides a timely reminder to rededicate oneself to their creative practice.

I was first introduced to Cameron's work in my mid twenties and still find her writing a source of inspiration. I have read and re-read "The Artist's Way" over the years, and this latest book, "Write for Life", acts as a refreshing update, with more focus on writing. Through years of experience and honing her creative process, Cameron emphasizes the importance of daily dedication to one's creative self.

I highly recommend "Write for Life" to anyone seeking to reignite their creative spark and make the most of their writing journey.

I received an ARC copy of "Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer (A 6-Week Artist's Way Program)" by Julia Cameron, courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, to read and provide an honest review.

What a great tool for writers! Ms. Cameron clearly has a love for the process of writing and for the act of writing.

And she brings that affection to the page in this six-week course for writers, writing in a conversational way that makes the reader feel like she’s talking directly to you, motivating you and providing guideposts as you proceed on your writing journey.

From Morning Pages to Artist Dates to daily walks, the author helps the reader set reasonable and achievable goals steadily progressing until your project is done.

I still haven't finished this book (I'm about 45% of the way through) and Julia Cameron's Morning Pages are the real deal. I was extremely skeptical but every time I finish doing Morning Pages, I can think more clearly, I sleep better at night, and ideas spring to me much easier.

Cameron says that perfectionism absolutely stifles the inner artist and she's right. She's definitely onto something in regards to letting your inner artist express themselves without the restraint of the inner critic, without worrying about being perfect, being brilliant, being impressive. She advocates for writing that just exists and I was blown away by all that.

I don't agree with everything Julia Cameron says. I felt paranoid about writing longhand Morning Pages (I need absolute privacy for my inner artist), so I've switched to doing them digitally. I also cannot fathom writing a first draft by hand, I'm not doing it, and I'm not sorry about that! But her advice is sound.

I can't wait to dive deeper into this book! I just don't want to move onto the subsequent sections of the book, especially when I haven't done the work.

Thank you for NetGalley and St. Martin's press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I ended up purchasing this book as soon as it was published because I can tell it's going to be an essential tool I'll always want within reach.

“The key to Producivity is Regularity”.
Wise words from Julia Cameron, author of another encouraging book on writing.
This book is encouraging us to write but I feel that her advice and words can be used for all creativity. The above quote applies to all artistic endeavors I think.
This is a short book but full of doable techniques which can be applied to writing and art alike.

Write for Life by Julia Cameron is another great tool for writers. Her repetitious, yet firm approach to small steps every day is so beneficial. The author's methods help to motivate the reader and gives very achievable goals. After only reading a few pages the reader wants to put pen to paper! Julia Cameron shares her wisdom and experience throughout these pages and it is a wonderful journey. Her tone is very friendly and conversational, a pleasure to read. I would highly recommend this book to writers, new or seasoned. Cameron's fans will gladly add this one to their collection.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Julia Cameron for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. I'm looking forward to purchasing a copy for my personal library and sharing with family and friends..

Julia Cameron's morning pages supercharge me every day, getting my brain ready for creative pursuits.

I loved Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer six-week plan. Write for Life is a must-read for writers who have finished "The Artist's Way" and want to continue their artistic development and those new to writing. Following the plan will help you complete your creative projects.

Anyone who has felt blocked creatively should know the name Julia Cameron. Her The Artist’s Way has been helping writers, filmmakers, photographers, painters, musicians, and so many others find their voice again after it’s been silenced. Since then, she has continued to write. She had written plays and novels, screenplays and music, and she’s also written more books to help artists find their way out of silence into success. Her latest book, Write for Life, is for the writers.

When Cameron says this book is for the writers, she means it’s primarily for those who want to write. But she also believes that everyone has the ability to be a writer. It’s just a matter of putting pen to paper and getting started. So for anyone who wants to start writing, or for blocked writers, or for those who don’t really believe they can writer, this book is for you. And for the record, Cameron believes in you, even if you don’t yet.

Anyone familiar with her work on creativity will have heard all about her tools—the Morning Pages, Artist Dates, and daily walks. In this book she talks about them all in depth, emphasizing how the Morning Pages (3 pages of freehand stream-of-consciousness writing done every morning) will help you figure out what you want to say and how you want to say it. The weekly Artist Date and daily walk help refill the well, so when you sit to write there is plenty there to draw from. In this book, she adds a daily page quota, one that’s low enough to be achievable (2-3 pages, depending on the project, is what she recommends), offering steady progress without too much pressure.

But mostly, Write for Life is a book about writing, page by page, essay by essay. It’s a six week course where you can learn to begin where you are, to lay track (that’s the process of putting words on the page, to get from point A to point B), to learn the best way to deal with your inner critic, to trust the process, to protect yourself and your art, to take on perfectionism, and to celebrate when you reach a milestone. Because she’s not interested in teaching you how to write a screenplay in 30 days or how to publish your novel in 6 months. Cameron wants you to focus on the process and to face all the obstacles that stand in our way of a creative life, whether that be anger, fear, jealousy, competition, ago, or toxic friendships.

While a lot of Cameron’s works are written for artists in general and can help anyone wanting to tackle a creative project or wanting to become a full-time artist, Write for Life is crafted in a way that is specific to writers. A lot of her advice will apply to any artist, the nature of this writing is different. It’s very repetitive. She talks a lot about the weather that happens outside her Santa Fe house. She talks about humility over and over, about dealing with perfectionism and ego, about how her dog tries to bite her pen.

These essays are about the moment she is experiencing and how that translates into her writing, word by word, sentence by sentence. I think writers would be helped by this sort of writing, to see the way she circles back to her main ideas through the small moments of each day, to see how she uses her feelings and her doubts and her fears on the page. Although, now that I think about it more, these lessons would probably be good for any artist, for anyone wanting to get more grounded in their life, for anyone wanting to express their authentic voice.

I have been a fan of Julia Cameron for a very long time. And while I love her writing and find it warm and moving, I think it should also come with a warning label. She makes you believe in possibilities. She makes you want to write a novel. Or a movie. Or a play. And she makes you think you could do it. (Actually, you can. I have written long projects based on her tools). But she makes you—okay, I’m talking about myself here. She makes me think that I could start writing a novel tonight, and that I should get started right away, because she makes it seem so achievable. But I’m tired tonight, so I can’t. But then, there’s always tomorrow.

If you know anyone who you think should get inspired to start writing, or if you yourself are struggling to find the motivation, then pick up some good pens, fresh notebooks, and a copy of Write for Life, and then just wait for the magic. Because that’s what Julia Cameron brings to the page—pure magic.

Egalleys for Write for Life were provided by St Martin’s Essentials through NetGalley, with many thanks.

A book in essays for writers who need that boost of wisdom to ignite their reason to write! Julia Cameron is unapologetic in her approach to cure writers’ ailments. She takes every problem with simplicity, confidence and precision. I would Read this with pencil and highlighter in hand.

WRITE FOR LIFE by Julia Cameron is a 6-Week Artist's Way Program with "Creative Tools for Every Writer." And Cameron does offer a variety of practical, easy to use tools. The first that she discusses at length is Morning Pages, writing three pages (eight and a half by eleven inches) in longhand (!) before starting the rest of the day. Referring to this as a kind of meditation, Cameron relays her own experiences and those of many other writers. I appreciated her reliance on a spiritual connection and her willingness to be vulnerable and to express concern for her readers. It feels as though she wants to spark success and each of the main six chapters ends with a summary including a short list of tasks and a series of check-in questions. There is very little judgment – in fact, she anticipates that readers will inflict that upon themselves and devotes one section to "Resist your Resistance." This is a valuable, pragmatic guide and Cameron is extremely knowledgeable; she has published more than forty books and written every day for more than half a century.

The prolific Julia Cameron knows creative minds and the pitfalls that can befall them. Write for Life is really a manual on how to get out of your own way on a writing project and make major progress in 6 weeks, if you follow the program outlined here.
In the book, Julia is your very own creativity coach and cheerleader and her voice makes you want to follow her lead. All hail, Julia!