Steven Pressfield's Blog, page 116

Betting On Yourself

If you're an artist or an entrepreneur, your working life is by definition about risk. You're already rolling the dice or you wouldn't be doing what you're doing. But beyond the inherent hazards of the artist/entrepreneur's life, how should you manage risk?
(I'm not referring, by the way, to the Seinfeld episode featuring George Costanza and
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Vacation

I'm on vacation and a couple of things popped upped for Black Irish Books. They aren't the end of the world.  Steve found a typo on one page of his next book.  We both agree that it is crucial that we fix it.
No problem.  I'm the liaison with the printer so it falls in my
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"Keep Working"

When I came out to Tinseltown from New York in the 80's, one of my first paying gigs was working with a grizzled, old-time director on a low-budget action script. (This post is picking up from last week's, about "Track #1" and "Track #2.")
The director and I used to work at his house in the
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Thank You, Steve

What do you do with an author, when he doesn't do outreach like other authors?
You thank him.
I don't always agree with Steve.
When he makes a decision I don't agree with, I nudge him toward my preferred direction.
He replies.
And then I 1) am thrilled we are on the same page; 2) find myself nudging a little
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Working on Two Tracks

When we complete a work of art or commerce and expose it to judgment in the real world, three things can happen:
1. Everybody loves it.
2. Everybody hates it.
3. Nobody notices that it even exists.
All three responses present you and me—the artist or entrepreneur—with serious emotional challenges, and all three drive deep into the most profound
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DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN

The front page of The Wall Street Journal's Thursday March 8, 2012 edition had with the following headline: U.S. Warns Apple, Publishers; Justice Department Threatens Lawsuits, Alleging Collusion over E-Book Pricing.

I wrote about this mishigas last fall. For an overview of what it's all about, check out "The Fox, the Hawk, and the Keepers
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Why I Don't Speak

Each day I get one or two invitations to speak at events or conferences. People have read The War of Art, and the concepts of Resistance and "turning pro" have struck a chord. They'd like to hear more; they'd like to see who I am in-person.
Maybe they're seeking "inspiration" or "motivation" for their group or
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What Have You Done For Yourself Lately?

Dear Author,
What have you done for yourself lately?
You've written a book?
Not enough.
You've had it accepted and printed by a publisher?
Not enough.
You met with your publisher and came up with a marketing plan.
Not enough.
What have you done to ensure your book reaches all the people you know will love it?
What have you done for yourself lately?
You
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The Fruits of our Labors

[The following is a slightly-tweaked-and-updated version of one of Writing Wednesdays' most popular posts.]
I have a recurring dream. In the dream I'm invited to climb into the back seat of a limo that's about to drive off to someplace fabulous. The dream always ends badly. It's trying to tell me something.
Publication day—or any date when
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The Blockbuster SuperLibrary 2.0

Last week Shawn talked about publishers selling their own books, via his post "Last Year's Model." I want to see publishers doing more of their own selling—and I want digital libraries, too.
Part I: Pay Attention
1998 was the year of You've Got Mail. Meg Ryan played the owner of the independent being forced out of business
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