As a writer, I found the advice in this book intriguing. It's not any old how-to book or manual on tapping into your creative potential, it's a philosophical discussion invoking muses and the Resistance that writers and other creative professionals face during their journey to creative success.

Basically, the advice given in this book is this:

Practice your art form every day, whether it is writing or painting or singing or dancing. Don't let excuses get in your way. Make sure you're in this for the right reasons- if you were the last person on earth, would you still be pursuing this creative goal? Take on projects that you're afraid of, because that means you're stepping outside of your comfort zone. Don't waste time trying to endlessly seek inspiration, instead begin creating or writing and the inspiration will come to you. Approach your creative aspirations as a professional if you wish to move on from the amateur stage.

The book is worth the read, as it delves into a discussion about the human psych in terms of creativity. Pressfield is a talented writer, and the advice he gives in the first section of the book is valuable.

However, if you don't believe in muses or that creativity is rooted in the divine, you may find yourself skipping large portions of the last part of the book.


IN CONCLUSION, all creative professionals should read this book, or at least the first half, because it offers some thought provoking insight. Most of the advice we've heard before, but Pressfield's insight is worthwhile to digest.