Customer Reviews

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

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2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

"The Right to Write" was the first how-to-write book I ever purchased and that was several years ago at this stage. Back then, this book helped me realise that it was OK to want to write and it gave me the motivation and knowledge to get started. Ms. Camerons own eclectic career inspired me to do what mattered personally in writing terms and not be afraid of making a rough draft a *really* rough draft.

However, years passed and times changed. I recently picked up this book, with fond memories mind, having dedicated myself to a writing life and had reasonable success. Unfortunatly, the reread was disappointing and I found her "cult of me" attitude [as eloquently put by another reviewer] incredibly annoying.

Ms. Cameron is of the oppinnion that everybody can write. Yes, maybe everybody can, but that doen't mean they should go for a career in it. Her advice that everybody should be authors could dedicate some readers to a live scrimping a living and ravaged with disappointment. Her statements such as "Why don't we do it in the street?" and her "Cups" initiations smack of New Age - the really bad mumbo jumbo kind.

In all, this book is excellent for opening the eyes of the "wannabe" writer to what they can achieve, but in cold hindsight after years as a writer myself, I found it too full of "fluff" and incredibly grating. If you want to be a writer that badly then you need a more "grounding" book with a concrete approach to the how's and why's of the process. Unfortunaly Ms. Camerons book falls well short in that regard.

- A.

I began my career teaching Composition at a state university campus. One day I was chatting with a colleague, a crusty old veteran who was the embodiment of everyone's Least Favorite English Teacher. She declared, "I don't care if they write only one paper all semester -- I make them rewrite it until it's PERFECT." I countered, "I don't care if they don't write one perfect paper all semester -- I make them keep WRITING."
This explains what I like about Julia Cameron: she's taken a whole generation who were intimidated by teachers like my ex-colleague into thinking "I'm not a writer," and made them into fluent, passionate, comfortable writers. Even for the experienced writer, her suggestions are great for jump-starting you at times when the inner censor is remorseless or you "just don't feel like writing." And she's an expert at puncturing your "I can't write because" excuses; those sections alone are worth the price of the book. I found it much easier going than "The Artist's Way": she's kept it concise, and downplayed the religion and the Twelve-Step-isms that some readers (myself included) found off-putting; but at the same time she's provided more of the practical and powerful exercises that were, I feel, the great strength of that book.
That said, I still found this book somewhat unsatisfying for two reasons. First, although the scenes from her daily life are excellent examples of vivid description, I could have done with a little less of her idyllic existence in the mountains and more practical suggestions for those of us who don't have total freedom to structure our writing time! And second, although her method provides a wonderful way for anyone to get started as a writer, she doesn't answer the next pressing question: "Now that I know I CAN write, where do I go from here?"

For aspiring writers, there are many books that teach, inspire and train a writer's growth. Julia Cameron's book, "The Right to Write" is the most comprehensive, emotionally attached writing book I have yet to encounter. Honest, direct and understanding, Ms. Cameron provides inspiration by sharing her own with the world. Her experience as a writer never underminds those writers with less experience. She understands that writing is personal, therefore she teaches from her personal perspective.
This is not only the best writing book I have read, it is also one of the best books I have ever read.

Julia Cameron takes a gentle, but steady approach. She understands full well that if you have had writer's block your entire life, it will not be easy to unblock yourself. Her main unblocking tool is to write three pages a day. You can write anything you want. After some initial reluctance, I have now become an addict, and I have filled several notebooks. She understands very well what demons wannabe writers might face, and gives plenty of exercises for overcoming them. Many of them very gentle, some where you must face old demons, but all basically very simple and easy to do.

If you need to get motivated to write in your journal, or to write a book this is for you. Simple assignments and a variety of skill.

Author Julia Cameron is also the co-author of The Artist's Way --a classic book that is great for lives in transition. This book is quite different and great for everyone who desires to write a book, article or report for work. She covers how to make yourself a channel for your heart and soul and more. Somewhat spiritual, she still tackles such basics as finding voice and sound. In addition, she offers suggestions for mood and procastination (every writer's challenge at some time or another). Some workbook-style practices are included in the book for those who want to go deeper and use this as a self-guide to creating a writer's life. Terrific addition to every writer's shelf.

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

What if everything we have been taught about learning to write was wrong? To what extent do you attribute to articulating words to paper? If you are a writer, what does writing mean to you? These are questions that have been asked one way or another to any aspiring or established writer. One author in particular has given readers her own version of why the writing life is so essential to her existence. The Right To Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into The Writing Life is a revelation. It was written by Julia Cameron who has written all over the literary landscape. Here, she intones with eloquence why it is a way of life, and shares with readers her rhyme and reason to enjoy writing as a natural process. As much as I read, I found this book to be just the anecdote for me to realize why I write! The more than 40 brief personal essays that make up The Right to Write are an unyielding affirmation of the writing life and should hold the readers attention long enough for it not to be a bore.

Let's take the time to examine the book. It flows judicially in a sequential phalange of personal essays and exercises to garner ways to keep the interest level up, and give credence to idealize thoughts for future reference. She invites readers to make use of the many trials and tribulations as well as the sensual pleasures of their lives in formulating fodder for a good write. Acknowledging that she is "a perfect example of a practitioning nurse," Cameron, telling the stories behind some of her own stories and poems, shows how writing can lead us down into the most vibrant parts of ourselves, to extract the source of good vibes. Cameron's prose and anecdotes sparkle with fresh, lived experience, demonstrating that when the subject is creativity, a writer should be able to make the words dance with synchronized rhythm. Cameron declares that "it is human nature to write" and sets about proving it in this demonstrative book.

I can't imagine anything close to conventional writing being a false doctrine that would stifle creativity, but in The Right to Write, the author alludes to this and other tidbits of information in the same mold. Much of this I found to be quasi-believable due to her penchant for giving good analogy to illustrate well her points of view, and her belief that readers should learn to make writing a natural, intensely personal part of life. Anyone ascribing to write for the first time should not be intimidated by the authors' bodacious style, and those already living it will discover the art of writing is never the same after reading this book. The Right to Write gives all the real meaning to wanting to do what is write!

Julia Cameron's message is simple: if you want to be a writer then WRITE. She presents the message with grace, conviction and persuasiveness. The format of the book, and much of its message, is similar to the work of Natalie Goldberg. However, they have different voices and inspire a different invitation to play with words. Goldberg has a crunchy granola, zesty hippy, zen enthusiasm. Very '80s. Cameron has a new age, california scrip writing, 12-step voice and proposes adopting a rigorous work ethic. Very 90's. She provides calm and soothing encouragement. Her suggestions are quite useful, and will get you writing. However, I personally need to read the essays in small doses. Cameron is quite self-congratulatory and her tone is so self-assured that it becomes irritating. She has good reason to feel confident: according to the back cover blurb, she's written 17 books; is a playwright, songwriter and poet as well as a novelist; and has extensive credits in theatre, film and television. Wow. I'd be cocky too.

I loved Julia Cameron's book. Loved the way she writes, her coaching you against writer's block, helping you to pull in your own well of ideas, freeing you from your inhibitions. Her commentated bibliography is also a big help.

The difficulty we had with this book was not that it seemed so very new-agey, or fluffy, or any such thing; it was that, as with so many of these "You Can Write" books, the authors seem to assume that everyone has money.

She does make some good points on Western society's (particularly the U.S.) attitude toward personal writing (it is discouraged, which is worse than if it were forbidden; we let greeting cards do our self-expression for us). She emphasises that we must not be afraid to produce raw writing; the polishing should come later. Although the computer makes it much easier to edit as you go along, it's a mixed blessing to those of us who fit her description of the overly self-censoring child who earns stellar points in English by writing prose like concrete blocks.

She speaks strongly about people who complain that they have no time to write. Her advice is to snitch a few minutes here and there, while waiting for the bus or on coffee breaks, which is perfectly reasonable. But she seems completely to ignore the fact that for many of the working poor, it isn't time, it's money. It's a rare person who can hold down four jobs just to pay rent, groceries and basic utilities, and still have energy left over to write. This kind of working poverty is reality for countless people, many of whom might well be creatively brilliant, but will never have an opportunity to explore their "inner voice" or whatever it may be.

Her writing style is not all that impressive, aside from a few amusing similes. Perhaps this is deliberate, so as not to intimidate.

In summary, Julia Cameron like most "You Can Write" authors rather defeats her own purpose. A published writer with quite an impressive track record, she's successful enough to be able to afford real estate (however small) in New Mexico, an Arabian horse and various other luxuries. Much as she would like to think so, she is not just like everybody else.

I can see why some reviewers have pegged her as a new age type; she's amazingly shortsighted when it comes to the "nickeled and dimed" reality of how most people -- particularly women -- live nowadays. As always, use what you can from this book and leave the rest.