Morning Pages is a term coined by author Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way. She also mentions the concept in her book Write for Life, which is where I first read about it. The idea behind morning pages is that a person writes by hand three pages of stream of consciousness thoughts first thing in the morning. Essentially it is journaling first thing when you wake, before your brain is coherent enough to argue too much about what you are writing.
Stream of consciousness writing is your thoughts exactly as they come to mind without any editing. The author states that the faster you write, the better it will work. You are to write every thought that pops into your head, no matter how foolish they may seem to you. The result, she claims, is an unmuddled brain, better equipped for creativity.
Julia Cameron has been writing her morning pages for over 40 years and says it is one of the keys to her success in writing. In The Artist’s Way, she mentions several writers who have told her that morning pages drastically changed their life. They found more focus, creativity, have even conquered writer’s block. They wrote more and better novels, screenplays and poetry. Morning pages are presented as the answer that all creatives need. Ok, maybe I exaggerated a tad with that last statement but you get my drift. Julia Cameron is extremely confident that this practice will help everyone with their creative endeavors.
So what about me?, you might be asking. Have morning pages changed my life? Are they the solution to my creative problems? Do I feel they have helped me at all? The answer is a bit complicated. I have always enjoyed the process of journaling. I feel like it is a positive way for me to sort out my thoughts. So yes, morning pages have helped me in that regard.
I used to journal right before bed, but have found that switching to morning writing works well for me too. I have been consistently writing morning pages for the last six months, only missing a few days when I had to rush out the door in the morning. Do I follow her instructions exactly? No I do not. I rarely write three pages. Usually I write two as I sip my morning cup of coffee or tea. I am barely caffeinated so I do mostly stick to the stream of consciousness writing. Since it is early, I tend to lose my concentration. I space out a lot. There are probably thoughts deep in my conscious that I have trouble bringing to the surface. I tend to think and write the same thing every morning. How poorly I slept, what body parts ache, my to-do list for the day. I know I leave things out. I can’t be made to feel too bad about that though. It’s early and I am writing. For me, that is what really matters. In that sense, yes, morning pages have changed my life. I have not had any major epiphanies. I have not started writing the next great American novel since starting the habit of morning pages. I see it more as journaling first thing in the morning.
This is not an entirely new concept. The stoics practiced the habit of daily journaling thousands of years ago. It is a good habit to practice. I love that I feel safe writing down my thoughts, though I acknowledge I hold back sometimes. Because of this I doubt I will ever have a major breakthrough. It is a fantastic way to start the day though, far superior to scrolling through my phone or watching YouTube. I recommend morning pages for anyone and everyone, whether you are looking for a major artistic breakthrough or like me, wish to start your day with your muddled thoughts on the page rather than inside your head.