I have been revisiting Julia Cameron’s The Right to Write, which I first read in 2006, and remembering how much I liked it. I love her “writing for all” philosophy and her writing warm ups. Some more quotes:
“If words give us power, when do we start to lose our power over words? When do we start to feel that some of us are “good” at language and even have a shot at being ‘writers’ while the rest of us just happen to use it and don’t dare consider ourselves in that league” (2)
“I believe what we want to write wants to be written. I believe that as I have the impuse to create, the something I want to create has an impulse to want to be born.” (18)
I recently did one of her extended prompts, the hot list, to mine some ideas for writing. I encourage you to do it yourself and write in your own answers. Consider yourself tagged!
What three topics do you often read about?
1. Education/test scores/writing
2. The presidential race
3. creativity
What three topics do you often think about?
1. God and prayer
2. Creativity and writing
3. parenting
What are five of your favorite books? (I tried to be current here and skipped War and Peace, etc..)
1. At the Children’s Gate by Adam Gopnik
2. From Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
3. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
4. Masters of Make Believe by Leonard S. Marcus
5. Creating a Life Worth Living by Carol Loyd
What do these books have in common?
They’re creative nonfiction, about kids, parenting, France, New York, nostalgia and romance.
What are your five favorite movies?
1. Moonstruck
2. Chocolat
3. Polar Express
4. Diner
5. October Sky
What do your movies have in common with your books?They’re also romantic, nostalgic, about New York and France.
What is your favorite fairy tale?
The elves and the shoemaker.
What is your favorite children’s book?
Corderoy by Don Freeman
Corderoy is such an optimist!
What do your favorite fairy tale and childhood book have in common?They’re both about secret things that happen at night. They’re both about the forces of “fate” acting to help someone.
List five topics you are currently thinking about?
1. blogging
2. junking
3. traveling
4. writing
5. mental health
Which topics feel “hot” now?blogging
junking-writing
