Thoughtful Thursday: The Sound of Paper

The book I’ve been reading this week is Julia Cameron’s “The Sound of Paper:  Starting from Scratch.”  Julia Cameron is, I think, most famous for her book “The Artist’s Way.”  I had been planning to read “The Sound of Paper” at some point, so when I found the hardcover at Half Price Books for about $6.00, I just had to pick it up!  $6.00.  Bonus! 

I love Julia’s writing voice.  To me, it’s melodic and soothing, like the tinkling sound of wind chimes being rustled by a soft breeze.  She inspires you with her life stories and her creative exercises are fun and move you in the right direction. 

Here’s an excerpt from the back cover of the book:

In order to make art, we must first make an artful life, a life rich enough and diverse enough to give us fuel.  We must strive to see the beauty where we are planted, even if we are planted somewhere that feels very foreign to our own nature.  In New York, I must work to connect to the parts of the city that feed my imagination and bring me a sense of richness and diversity instead of mere overcrowding and sameness.  In California, my friend must work to do the same.  We must, as the elders advise us, bloom where we are planted.  If we later decide that we must be transplanted, that our roots are not in soil rich enough for our spirits, at least we have tried.  We have kept hold of the essential thread of our consciousness, the “I” that gives us the eye to behold.

Julia speaks of coming off of writing a very difficult book and how she felt depleted but continued to write her Morning Pages and daily essays.  As she continued to write, the desire to do so came back.  You get a sense of this as you read the book.  We’ve all experienced those dry spells where we feel like we’re wandering in a vast desert of creative nothingness.  Julia’s stories and creative prompts are a definite boon during those times.  I’ve not yet finished the book and already feel like I want to gift all of my friends with it!  It’s a gentle and inspiring read and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I’ll leave you with my results to one of her exercises.  You might like to try it yourself.

List five areas in your life in which you would like to see “improvement.” Next to each area, write a small, forward-looking action that you could take.  (She explains the exercise with more detail in her book.)

AREAS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT

1. I need more time for writing but can’t seem to fit it in.

2. I freak myself out about starting a creative project like art journaling.

3. I always feel like I should be doing something other than what I am doing at the time.

4. I feel drained and need more sleep.

5. I sometimes feel like I have nothing to write about.

FORWARD-LOOKING ACTIONS

1. Commit to writing for at least 20 minutes per day. If it extends to more, great; if not, feel no guilt.

2. Check out online tutorials on the beginning steps to art journaling.

3. Start with one activity, like spending time with my son, and push away thoughts of other activities. If I focus on the activity at hand, I won’t feel tired and stressed from my mind being divided.

4. Try an experiment: Go to sleep by 11:00 p.m. every night for two weeks to see if I feel sharper and more rested so I’m able to accomplish more.

5. Commit to one fun activity per week just for me, like visiting a museum or going for a long walk, so I can be revitalized and inspired. 

~ Pamela

Tags: Art, book, inspiration, Julia Cameron, The Sound of Paper, Writing, writing exercises