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The Right to Write |
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 The Right to Write:An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julie Cameron Tarcher/Putnam 236 pages, 1999 ISBN 0874779375 Reviewed by Anthony Connolly Time was I had one book I called my writer’s Bible. Now I have two. The year 1993 was a big year for me. I quit my job at a newspaper in a bid to write fiction and freelance for a living. The move caused me no end of worry. Ultimately, I did not think I was capable of realizing my dreams. I was in dire straits and a little lost when a friend of mine gave me Julia Cameron’s The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. The book is a 12-week program designed to discover and recover the creative self. The many exercises and inspirational messages helped prove to myself that I was capable of being a writer. It became my Bible. When I was depressed about this writing game, when I needed someone to talk to, Cameron was there. A few years ago, she brought out the almost obligatory sequel Vein of Gold that was nothing but a rehashing of her earlier work, and I soured on her commercialism. Late last year she released The Right to Write which I passed by on several trips to my local bookseller. Recently I found myself with a latte and The Right to Write in my hands, began to read and discovered simply one of the best books I have read on the writing life. While The Artist's Way and Vein of Gold were designed as how-to volumes to encourage artists to ply their craft, The Right to Write has its focus not only on the craft, but also on the meaning of calling. This is a proclamation in praise of the writing life, a plea for a prose-filled life. By narrative, Cameron first invites the reader and writer into the writing life. By initiation, she asks you to partake of the same kind of living. There are over 40 chapters examining everything from the time lie to vulnerability. Each chapter begins with the invitation, a daily sermon if you will, and ends with an exercise designed to embody the invitation that preceded it. The one-two punch is wonderfully executed. There is no denying Cameron’s charm. She tells us to write every day, invites us to write badly and asks us to live with passion. Ultimately, she tells us to enjoy what we call the writing life. Cameron’s timely advice and sincere tone will have you placing this book nearby for inspiration. An indispensable addition to any writer’s library. |
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