Little Things To Inspire You This Week: The Roundup
The Roundup #23: Thoughts on perfectionism, fear, jealousy, and like always, tons of great recommendations.
This week the New York Times published an article about The Artist’s Way called “I used to cringe at self-help books. Until this one changed my life.”
Julia Cameron might call it synchronistic that this wildly popular book from 1992 is still getting written about in the Times, and right as we are in the middle of it. Something I love from the article is the declaration that The Artist’s Way is not perfect; in fact, it’s quite flawed. I agree with this. Some of her examples are extremely dated. The task of keeping track of your spending as an exercise to build abundance sounds ridiculous to people who already do that just to make rent. The way she speaks about God turns a lot of people off. But, with all that, it’s sold over 5 million copies, and helped countless creatives from me, and maybe you, to Elizabeth Gilbert and Martin Scorsese.
In all its imperfection, The Artist’s Way shows us that something need not be perfect to still be good, and helpful, and to do what it intended to do. I’m particularly struck by this because I’ve just finished Week 7, which focuses on perfectionism. How much of our work do we withhold because it is not yet perfect? And what if Julia Cameron did the same?
In Little Women, Amy March declares: “Talent isn’t genius, and no amount of energy can make it so. I want to be great, or nothing.”
For a long time, “I want to be great or nothing” was my gospel. But the problem with being an artist is that “nothing” isn’t really an option: You’re going to keep creating no matter what. It’s in your bones. You do it because you need to do it. So then, what’s scarier, making nothing and betraying yourself in the process, or making something that isn’t hailed as a work of genius? Would you rather show the world something flawed, or know you never tried? To me, the answer is clear.
Perfectionism is an ongoing struggle, one in which we must investigate our standards, tastes, and talents to determine what is “good enough.” One of the most helpful ways to overcome it is to create A LOT and then, share your work. That might mean writing a newsletter, posting videos online, or doing stand-up. Whatever it is, moving out of fear and into action always heals.
What would you do if you had permission not to do it perfectly?
MORE WRITING ON THE ARTIST’S WAY FROM MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY:
Consumption Deprivation HERE WE GO! by
I’ve Been Artist-Dating Myself For A While by
I don’t have many regrets, but this is one by
- interviewed me for her “Survivors On Screen” series, and we talked about my writing for The Morning Show, and an early short film of mine called “When I Saw Him Again.” She is lovely and we had a great conversation. You can watch the interview here!
Watch these 10 directors walk you through pivotal scenes from their Academy Award-nominated films.
This month’s Film Club pick is His Girl, Friday — a hilarious classic that I highly recommend. You can watch it with me tomorrow at 6pm PST, or on your own. We’ll discuss it next week!
- has collected more than 50 of the Award season scripts you can download and study for free.
- analyzes Jonathan Larsens’ notes for writing Rent.
An incredible guide for submitting to Literary Magazines, via
&Those of you doing The Artist’s Way with me probably recall the “Inner Censor” (or critic) that Julia Cameron speaks of, and if you’ve read The Art of War you know all about resistance.
writes wonderfully about them both in her post The Invisible Force Blocking Your Creativity.Novelist Rachel Cusk on the “feminine non-state of non-being”
Essayist Sloane Crosley on Staying on the Side of the Living and her new book Grief Is For People
Helen Oyeyemi Thinks We Should Read More and Stay in Touch Less
There’s Nothing More Romantic Than Falling in Love With Your Friends
I recently came across Henry Miller’s “11 Commandments of Writing and Daily Creative Routine.” They are filled with so many useful tools and reminders I still need, like “when you can’t create you can work,” and “forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.” I also love seeing his commitment to a routine. It’s a reminder that some of the most prolific writers achieved greatness not from inspiration, but rather from hard work and discipline. Here is the full list:
Henry Miller’s 11 Commandments of Writing and Daily Creative Routine.
Work on one thing at a time until finished.
Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’
Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
When you can’t create you can work.
Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
Don’t be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.
Discard the Program when you feel like it—but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.
This week’s journaling prompt comes from Chapter 7 of The Artist’s Way. Almost all creative people struggle with jealousy. Perfectionists tend to compare themselves to others constantly. Taking time to address your jealousy helps you move away from envy and into action. One way to do that is by making a “jealousy map.” Here’s how Julia Cameron describes it:
“Your jealousy map will have three columns. In the first column, name those whom you are jealous of. Next to each name write why. Be as specific and accurate as you can. In the third column, list one action you can take to move toward creative risk and out of jealousy. When jealousy bites like a snakebite it requires an immediate antidote.” It will look something like this:
WHO | WHY | ACTION ANTIDOTE
That’s all for this month’s roundup! Have a wonderful week.
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Thanks for including me, Ali! This adventure is really much more fun because there’s a bunch of us doing it at the same time.
I LOVED the jealous mapping practice! So damn useful. I tend to really appreciate emotions as signals and messangers but haven't ever tried something like this for jealousy! Thanks for sharing my essay too! :)