I read this book and used the workbook sometime ago, and loved it.  It really created some structure and helped me through periods of  “writer's block”.  If you are looking to find some discipline and momentum, this book can help you to do that.

We love this book! And not just because we are Julia's publisher. Many of us at Tarcher have read and practiced The Artist's Way in different incarnations, and we've each found that it made us aware of talents and creative impulses we didn't know existed. We're often all so busy, that we don't take the time to settle down and take the time to reflect. This books gives us an excuse (and a reason) to do that. In fact, in writing this, I am thinking I am going to start up with the morning pages again. I stopped doing them a few years ago. <am feeling sheepish about admitting that>

I really like it, one thing I really took away (and kept up for 3 years) was doing the morning pages. I am a real dreamer (literally) and found it invaluable to start my day off with reflection and writing. There are so many excercises in this book that I have done that really moved me deeply to heal some of my issues around being creative. I do intend to finally get all the way through it.
Definitly recommend it for everyone, professionals, doodlers and those who don’t even consider themselves “artists”.

Basic Principles:

1. Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy.

2. There is an underlying, in-dwelling creative force infusing all of life – including ourselves.

3. When we open ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator's creativity within us and our lives.

4. We are, ourselves, creations. And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves.

5. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

6. The refusal to be creative is self-will and is counter to our true nature.

7. When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction.

8. As we open our creative channel to the creator, many gentle but powerful changes are to be expected.

9. It is safe to open ourselves up to greater and greater creativity.

10. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.

It is my experience both as an artist and as a teacher that when we move out on faith into the act of creation, the universe is able to advance. It is a little like opening the gate at the top of a field irrigation system. Once we remove the blocks, the flow moves in.