Crazymakers...Learning to Recognize Them

Beth and I are working through an interesting little book by Julia Cameron called The Artist's Way. It's a workshop sort of book for people wanting to recover their creativity. As a want-to-be-artist I thought it would a good process to work through. She takes you to some interesting places along the way. Today she focused on a type of person that can rob you of your creative side. She calls the Crazymakers

She describes them this way. They are those personalities that create storm centers. They are often charismatic, frequently charming, highly inventive and powerfully persuasive. Crazymakers are the kind of people who can take over your whole life. To fixer-uppers, they are irresistible; so much to change, so many distractions...

Crazymakers like drama. If they can swing it, they are the star. Everyone around them functions as supporting cast, picking up their cues, their entrances and exits, from the crazymaker's whims.

Here's her list of descriptions:

Crazymakers break deals and destroy schedules

Crazymakers expect special treatment

Crazymakers discount your reality

Crazymakers spend your time and money

Crazymakers triangulate those they deal with

Crazymakers are expert blamers

Crazymakers create dramas - but seldom where they belong

Crazymakers hate schedules - except their own

Crazymakers hate order

Crazymakers deny that they are crazymakers

Of course I have to admit that we're all Crazymakers at times. But it did make me think about a few of the people I've known and know who as I step back fit the description.