It Is Written Book Club
Interest in the Book Club remains strong. In keeping with the TAWO.org theme of supporting the 50-plus community, we host a monthly book club meeting.
The
It Is Written Book Club Meeting
Sunday, January 18
on Zoom
2:00 pm Pacific
We begin the New Year by reading the Introduction and first chapter of It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again by Julia Cameron
Introduction overview
Cameron explains that the book is written for people at midlife and beyond—especially retirees—who are asking “What next?” as their old work identities fade.
She presents retirement (or any major later‑life transition) as a chance for exploration, learning, and growth, not withdrawal or decline.
The introduction outlines the four core tools:
Morning Pages: daily, private, stream‑of‑consciousness writing to clear the mind and surface desires.
Artist Dates: weekly solo “assigned play” to refill the creative well.
Memoir: structured life‑story writing to revisit past dreams and paths not taken.
Walks: regular solo walks to process feelings and invite new ideas.
Chapter 1: Sense of Wonder
Chapter 1 (Week 1) focuses on regaining a sense of wonder that may have been dulled by years of work, duty, and routine.
Readers are invited to approach their current life stage as a “creative adventure,” gently examining and discarding old beliefs like “I’m too old” or “It’s too late” that block curiosity and experimentation.
Cameron acknowledges that the early retirement period can be disorienting, leaving people moody, self‑critical, or anxious about “too much” free time.
In Chapter 1, she stresses gentleness and “active kindness” toward oneself, presenting small, doable steps so the process feels safe, compassionate, and quietly optimistic rather than pressured.
Rev. John Hagan
It Is Written Book Club Coordinator
“The book you hold in your hands is the distillate of a quarter century’s teaching. It is my attempt to answer, ‘What next?’ for students who are embarking on their ‘second act.’”
—Julia Cameron
Julia Cameron has inspired millions with her bestseller on creativity, The Artist’s Way. In It’s Never Too Late To Begin Again, she turns her eye to a segment of the population that, ironically, while they have more time to be creative, are often reluctant or intimidated by the creative process. Cameron shows readers that retirement can, in fact, be the most rich, fulfilling, and creative time of their lives.
When someone retires, the newfound freedom can be quite exciting, but also daunting. The life that someone had has changed, and the life to come is yet to be defined. In this book, Cameron shows readers how cultivating their creative selves can help them navigate this new terrain. She tells the inspiring stories of retirees who discovered new artistic pursuits and passions that more than filled their days—they nurtured their souls.
This twelve-week course aimed at defining—and creating—the life you want to have as you redefine and re-create yourself, this book includes simple tools that will guide and inspire you to make the most of this time in your life:
- Memoir writing offers an opportunity to reflect on and honor past experience. This book guides you through the daunting task of writing an entire memoir, breaking it down into manageable pieces.
- Morning Pages—private, stream-of-consciousness writing done daily—allow you to express wishes, fears, delights, resentments, and joys, which in turn, provide focus and clarity for the day at hand.
- Artist Dates encourage fun and spontaneity.
- Solo Walks quell anxiety and clear the mind.
This fun, gentle, step-by-step process will help you explore your creative dreams, wishes, and desires...and help you quickly find that it’s never too late to begin again.