I am a firm believer in the power of morning pages. I owe a debt of gratitude to Julia Cameron for her wisdom in sharing this morning habit that she has with others. Sometimes, we do something that benefits us and keep it private. Thankfully, Julia wanted to share her experiences with others and has helped so many people since publishing The Artist’s Way.
What are morning pages and how to do them?
Morning pages are a refreshingly simple practice. All it involves is writing three pages first thing in the morning. There is no need to overthink or stress about it. Just grab your coffee, sit down, and let your thoughts flow onto the page. The key is to write without any preconceived notions or expectations. The point is to write stream-of-consciousness. If you think it, write it.
One of the most liberating aspects of morning pages is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. You’re free to write whatever comes to mind, regardless of how random or disjointed it may seem. Some days, your writing might resemble a coherent journal entry, while others (most) might be a jumble of thoughts. And that’s perfect.
Julia explains that writing these pages out by hand connects your heart to your hand. They are meant to be written before you do anything else first thing in the morning—no TV, no phone, no family discussions, nothing more than a good morning kiss.
Of course, the routine is entirely up to you. The important part is that you sit down and write. Write what comes to mind, any tiny thing and everything on your mind at that moment, and if there is nothing there, then that’s what you write. Some days, I lament that I have nothing to say and don’t even feel like writing. Before long, though, I’ve moved on from my grumblings and am in the full swing of things.
My Morning Pages Routine
I begin each morning by starting a cup of coffee while I go to the restroom and wash up. Then, I return to the kitchen, grab my coffee, and go directly to the journal. My family faithfully leaves me to my writing time, allowing me the quiet and privacy to dump everything on my mind onto paper.
When I began, I started on regular notebook paper. I only aimed to try this method for 30 days. The changes in my moods, my thought processes, and my overall well-being were noticeable within two weeks. At the end of 30 days, I was hooked.
Today is day 1500 of morning pages. I can tell you it’s not a practice I will give up anytime soon.
Over time, my alarm has moved from 7.30 to 6.30 to 4.50 am. I think 4.50 am is where I will stay, and there are times I oversleep. But I have discovered that this early morning time is best for me: for my writing, for connecting with myself, and for really being present in the moment.
Notebook Sizing Vs. Pages Written
Julia suggests sticking with the 8.5 x 11. This is the one suggestion where I have moved in a different direction because the act of the writing itself brings me more joy and pride when the item I am writing ON or with is special.
Then at the end of my 30 days, I knew I wanted a more substantial journal to write in daily. This beautifully healing part of my day deserved a dedicated writing space somewhere I would feel happy and proud to see stored on a shelf. I began testing journals by rewriting my morning pages into a different-sized journal to ensure I completed the same amount of writing daily.
I stumbled through various journals until I realized the cost was also a factor. Completing one Moleskine after another was great, but I felt a lot of guilt over the overall cost of the journals. After a deep dive into journal pages and their thickness, I discovered Stalogy.
Oh My Stalogy
Stalogy uses a smooth and thin paper similar to Tomoe River paper. This means they can get a lot of pages into one book. They have one specifically called the 365 because (you guessed it) there is a page for every day of the year! They also boasted a 5mm grid size on the A6 and a 4mm on the A5. I was so excited waiting for that first Stalogy to come in. The size of the line alone had me hopeful I could get three written pages into two. Sizing down to the A5 meant I could write in a regular-sized journal! Score!
Imagine my surprise when I tested the Stalogy, and it took fewer pages to complete the correct amount of writing. The lines of the Stalogy are much narrower, and my writing gets smaller because of it. My three pages on standard notebook paper only filled one and a half Stalogy pages! Badda bing!
Now, I dutifully sit every morning with my Stalogy and fill two full pages (one-page front and back). It costs me about $36 to do my morning pages every day of the year. One 365-day journal gets me through half a year perfectly. Just explaining all of this gets me all tingly and happy inside! I love saving money!
Writing Instrument
I use my Pilot Metropolitain fountain pens religiously. I have varying colors of pens and inks. The joy that I get from using them (a different pen daily) is absolutely pure. You should find a pen and notebook you love when taking on any writing project. Of course, you can use a Bic ballpoint pen if that makes your heart sing, but if it doesn’t… Try and try again until you find the pen that makes you happy!
To Track Or Not To Track
Tracking things can help you be more accountable. Some people find it doesn’t help them at all. By numbering my page each day, I am inspired to keep going. It has amazed me over the years to watch that number grow, and just when I think a number will not be a milestone, it is. When it was 300 or 1000, those days were equally as important to me, and I love keeping track of them.
Top 5 Things To Remember
#1 Your writing does not matter. Be messy, be neat. It doesn’t matter, as you generally won’t be looking back at these pages again.
#2. Do not worry about grammar or punctuation. This writing is free-flow writing that needs to happen without worrying about rules.
#3. Do not show anyone your morning pages. Set that rule in stone before you begin so that you never have that ‘knowledge’ hovering over you that someone may see it.
#4. Be honest with yourself on paper. If you hate getting up early, say it. If you feel it, write it. No rules!
#5. There is no expectation of these pages being a work of art or having fully formed sentences or thoughts. You can and will sound crazy if you were to look back and read them. I have yet to go back to read mine and have no intentions of it.
