Tag Archives: Basic Principles

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 27, 2013 Edition

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Writers:

Great Work Shop last night. I can tell winter is wearing on folks as our numbers always seem to dwindle in late February/early March. Hope to see more of you on March 12.

We are now on Week 11 of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s clear folks are really beginning to recover their creativity and be good to their inner artist. That’s fantastic and what it’s all about.

In this chapter we focus on our artistic autonomy. We examine the ongoing ways in which we must nurture and accept ourselves as artists. We explore the behaviors that can strengthen our spiritual base and, therefore, our creative power. We take a special look at the ways in which success must be handled in order that we not sabotage our freedom.

We will be working on acceptance of self as an artist. I’ve had you do this exercise before, but we’ll do it again.

Say these words a loud:  “I am an artist.”

Again.

Once more, and with feeling!

Awesome.

Oh, you didn’t do it.

Turn around and do it. Excuse yourself to a private place, if necessary. But say, “I am an artist.” And say it out loud for your own ears to hear three times.

We’ll be focusing on how success is creativity. How creativity is a spiritual practice.

We’ll be focusing on what Cameron calls “The Zen of Sports.” Basically that’s doing things like walking, or running, or a Zumba class to get the brain waves into a zone that allows for open channels to creativity.

We’ll be looking at building an artist’s altar. We just said that creativity is a spiritual practice. You’ll need to create some “rituals” towards your creativity. Some of you may already have them. Some of you maybe just need permission to building these spaces and actions. Some of you just need to know this is a part of The Artist’s Way.

Tasks:

  1. Tape your own voice reading the Basic Principles. (See Page 3). Choose a favorite essay from this book and record that as well. Use it as a meditation. (If you do not have a copy of The Artist’s Way – just choose any inspirational essay. However, here’s some from Cameron that you might choose.)
  2. Write out, in longhand, your Artist’s Prayer from Week Four. Place it in your wallet.

Those are the tasks for this week.

Those who went to the workshop – don’t forget:  One lovely thing for you – just yourself – each day for the next seven days.

For those that didn’t attend the workshop and want to know what that is…be sure to join us March 12, so you don’t miss out.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes it visible. The moon develops creativity as chemicals develop photographic images.” ~Norma Jean Harris

Weekly Writing Prompt — March 28, 2012 Edition

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Writers:

Have your reservations for Boxley’s for SnoValley Writes! Word Jazz on April 10th at 7 p.m.? No? Well you can do it online here: http://www.boxleysplace.com/web/reservations.espx?reservations=on&cid=44b996ab751e19c2ed2babc48169b615
Do it now, this event fills up fast.
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As discussed in our last bimonthly writing work session…wait, you say you missed our work session? Well, be sure not to miss the next one on April 22 (we’re suspended for the Easter Holiday Sunday). On the 22nd we’ll be discussing all the exercises contained in the weekly writing prompts, so be sure to stay tuned.
SnoValley Writes! is in the midst of The Artist’s Way journey. We’ve been employing the tools of morning pages and artist’s dates and affirmative reading. Affirmative reading includes these basic principles, which I’ve attached in an effort to get you to print it and post it near your writing space or within your morning pages journal. (Please note the use of God, The Great Creator, Universe, etc. is used interchangeably to cover all spiritual preferences; because at the heart of creativity is an experience of the mystical. Ms. Cameron refers to “God” as ‘Good Orderly Direction,’ so you can look at it as an acronym if you so choose. The core of it is the same. Creativity is a spiritual thing at its foundation.)
So are you doing morning pages*? I’m 6/7 last week. This week may be a little lower because I was ill Monday afternoon through yesterday. But, I’ve got a better batting record than most Major League Baseball stars in that regard, so I’m happy. Today is a new day, you can get those pages, done, too.
What was your artist’s date** last week? Reply and tell me what you did!
And now you can do your weekly affirmative reading (see attached).
Today’s writing prompt is two fold. First:  pick one of the Basic Principles and write from that. It can be essay, poem, short-story, whatever. Just pick one that means something and write. Write until your hands cramps or every thing you have to say on it is on the page/screen.
Second:  look at the second attachment (contract) and print it, fill it out, sign and date it and keep it in your morning pages journal or near your desk/writing space. I have modified it slightly for our purposes because we will be doing this journey for more than 12 weeks, given our bimonthly (less holidays) work session schedule.
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Writing Dates This Week
Friday, March 30, DayTrippers Write-In Fall City Roadhouse 9:30 a.m. until Noon-ish (come when you can, leave when you must)
Monday, April 2, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Midday Muse, Toad’s (North Bend), Write-In (come when you can, leave when you must)
Tuesday, April 3, Word Jazz Dress Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. Carriage Insurance House
Thursday, April 5, Open Mic Night, The Black Dog, 6:30 p.m. — An opportunity to read your stuff for an appreciative, receptive audience.
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And now your moment of Writing Zen:
“Man is asked to make of himself what he is supposed to become to fulfill his destiny.” ~Paul Tillich
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*Morning Pages are three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-consciousness. I call them “mental debris collector.” They are not meant to be art. It’s simply menat to be the act of moving the hand across the page and writing down whatever comes to mind. Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included. The act of morning pages frees your mind for better creativity. 

**Artist Date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artists. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, aka your creative child. 
***If you’re reading this online and want the attachments, you just need to email us at:  snovalleywrites (at) gamil (dot) com.  We will send them your way.
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What did you Write today?
~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron