Writing Morning Pages

In her book, “The Artist’s Way” (Tarcher, 1992), Julia Cameron discusses the benefits of creating the habit of scribbling down everything that comes into your mind for several minutes at the same time every day – preferably early in the morning before others start making demands of your time. 

This scribbling doesn’t have to be focused on an idea of any sort – it is merely an outpouring of the gunk that is going on in your conscious mind.  Spilling it out and onto the page and letting your thoughts drift freely lifts the film that covers your deeper, creative thoughts – and these are the ones you can work with later either during writing or in your daily life. 

The book is written for artists in general – not just writers – and she claims that many businessmen and women have adopted the Morning Pages routine to great effect in both their professional and personal lives.

Try it for a full two weeks now and see how it helps you. Get your notebook at the ready and jot down the results: is it improving the quality of your ideas?  Are you noticing more things during your busy day?  Is it inspiring you to set that crucial, daily writing habit? 

It’s a great way to make sure you're accessing better ideas from the get go, every day.