You wake up. The room is cold. Your brain is already shouting a grocery list or a half-baked worry about a work email you haven't even opened yet. Most of us reach for the phone. We scroll. We let the world’s noise dictate our first thoughts. But there is a group of people—millions, actually—who do something that looks remarkably like homework instead. They grab a pen. They open a notebook. They write.
The julia cameron morning pages journal is not a diary. It is not "writing" in the way we usually think about it. Honestly, it’s more like a mental windshield wiper.
The 1992 Revolution in a Spiral Notebook
Julia Cameron introduced this concept in her 1992 bestseller, The Artist’s Way. Since then, it has sold over five million copies. It has been translated into forty languages. People like Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, swear they wouldn't have a career without it. Even Tim Ferriss and Martin Scorsese have utilized this "brain drain" method.
So, what is it?
Strictly speaking, it is three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing. You do it first thing in the morning. No exceptions. No excuses. You don't show it to your spouse. You don't post a "pretty" version on Instagram. You just dump the contents of your head onto the paper until you hit the bottom of the third page.
It sounds simple. Almost too simple. But the "rules" are where people usually trip up.
Why Your Julia Cameron Morning Pages Journal Must Be Longhand
In a world obsessed with efficiency, the first question everyone asks is: "Can I just type it?"
No.
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Cameron is incredibly firm on this. Typing is fast. It’s clinical. It allows us to skip over the messy bits. Handwriting, however, is a physical act. Research by Virginia Berninger at the University of Washington has shown that the sequential finger movements of handwriting activate large regions of the brain involved in thinking and working memory.
When you write by hand, you are forced to slow down. You feel the grit of the pen against the paper. This slow pace is exactly the point. It bypasses the "Logic Brain" and taps into the "Artist Brain." If you type, you’re just data-entering your anxieties. When you write by hand, you’re processing them.
The Myth of "Good" Writing
Here is the biggest secret about the julia cameron morning pages journal: the writing is supposed to be terrible.
If you are trying to write "well," you are doing it wrong. Cameron famously says there is no wrong way to do them, but the closest you can get to failing is trying to be poetic. These pages are meant to be petty. They are for complaining about the neighbor’s leaf blower or the weird crust on the leftovers in the fridge.
"Morning Pages are the primary tool of creative recovery." — Julia Cameron
By putting the "junk" on the page, you stop it from swirling in your head all day. It’s like clearing the gunk out of a rusty pipe so the clean water can finally flow.
The Three-Page Rule: Why You Can't Stop at One
Most people start with great intentions. They write one page about how tired they are. They feel a little better. Then they stop.
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That is a mistake.
The first page and a half is usually just "brain fluff." It’s the surface-level chatter. The magic—the real, scary, insightful stuff—usually happens around page two and a half. That’s when you run out of things to complain about and your subconscious starts talking.
- Page 1: "I'm tired. I need coffee. The cat is staring at me."
- Page 2: "I'm worried about that meeting. I don't think I'm prepared. Why did I say that thing yesterday?"
- Page 3: "Wait, I’m actually unhappy in this job. I’ve been ignoring that for three years."
That third page is where the "paydirt" lives. If you stop early, you’re just skimming the surface. You’re not actually doing the work.
Common Misconceptions and Failures
Let’s be real for a second. This practice isn't a magic wand.
Some people find that writing about their problems makes them dwell on them more. A few writers on forums like Absolute Write have noted that the "brain dump" can sometimes feel like a "brain muddying" if you don't have a way to transition out of it.
Also, the "morning" part is actually important. You’re trying to catch yourself before your ego’s defenses are fully awake. If you do "Evening Pages," you’re just recapping the day. That’s a journal. It’s fine, but it’s not the same tool.
How to Actually Start (and Stick to It)
If you want to try the julia cameron morning pages journal method, don't overcomplicate the gear.
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You don't need a $40 leather-bound book. In fact, Cameron often recommends cheap spiral notebooks. Why? Because if the book is too beautiful, you’ll feel pressure to write something beautiful in it. You want something disposable. Something you wouldn’t mind throwing in a bonfire.
- Get a cheap A4 or US Letter notebook. Anything smaller and you aren't writing enough; anything larger and it takes an hour.
- Set your alarm 20 minutes earlier. It usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes to fill three pages.
- Write as soon as you wake up. Before the kids wake up. Before the coffee is even done.
- Do not re-read them. At least not for the first few months. Many people staple the pages together so they aren't tempted to look back and judge their past selves.
The Ripple Effect of the Practice
The goal isn't just "creativity" in the sense of painting or writing a novel. It’s about clarity.
When you consistently use a julia cameron morning pages journal, you start to notice patterns. If you complain about your back hurting every Tuesday for three weeks, you eventually realize you need a new chair or a better gym routine. The pages force you to face the "petty" truths you usually ignore.
It’s a form of active meditation. It’s a way to be your own therapist for the price of a ballpoint pen.
While the New Age language Cameron sometimes uses—references to "The Creator" or "Spiritual Electricity"—might turn some people off, the practical results are hard to argue with. It’s a habit used by CEOs and stay-at-home parents alike because it solves a universal problem: the cluttered human mind.
Actionable Next Steps
To move from reading about this to actually experiencing the "brain drain" effect, you should take these specific actions today:
- Buy the right-sized notebook: Purchase a standard 8.5 x 11-inch (or A4) spiral-bound notebook. Avoid "pocket" journals, as they don't provide enough space to reach the "paydirt" phase of the exercise.
- Commit to the "No-Fly Zone": Decide on a 30-minute window tomorrow morning where you will not check your phone, email, or social media until the three pages are complete.
- Embrace the "Blah": If you sit down and feel stuck, literally write "I don't know what to write" for three pages straight. Usually, by the middle of the second page, your brain will get bored and start revealing something more interesting.
- Secure your privacy: Find a place to hide your journal. The psychological freedom of Morning Pages relies entirely on the fact that no one else will ever read them. If you fear discovery, you will self-censor, which kills the process.