Recovering a Sense of Abundance

Let’s explore The Artist’s Way Chapter 6

Hello Artsy Friends!

How is your creativity expressing itself this month?

I’ve been writing a lot, which feels like a miracle to me after a few years of being creatively blocked. My writing this summer has been quite diverse—some copywriting, a few pitches, regular posts here on substack, and a work in progress that feels like the culmination of all the inner work I’ve done these past few years. It’s life giving, and I credit this flow to the work we’ve done here with The Artist’s Way. Thanks for being a part of it!

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.” – Julia Cameron

Chapter Six focuses on recovering a sense of abundance as an artist. Cameron spends most of this chapter discussing money and the idea that it’s not unreasonable to expect that our gift will make way for us to earn money. She believes when we partner with God in our art, that God also partners with us to provide the financial support we need to survive.

I find this chapter a little challenging in that I know very few artists who have not needed either a full-time job outside of or adjacent to their art, or a partner who can support them financially. My writing life is only possible because I have a Patron of the Arts, namely my husband. If I didn’t have Michael’s salary to rely on, perhaps I would have found a way to make a living wage from my writing work, but so far, that hasn’t been my experience.

Would I like to make a living wage as a writer? Yes.

Do I think it’s possible? Yes.

Do I think it’s possible for me? Maybe.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you made money from your art? I believe artists deserve to be paid for their work, and as such I financially support/subscribe to a lot of writers, content creators, etc. Perhaps I need to explore my relationship to making money a bit more.

As I considered the content of this chapter, I wrote the following reflection in my journal.