Steven Pressfield's Blog, page 132
March 4, 2011
Third Party Validation
There's an old joke.
An extended family lives in a valley. One night a torrential rain comes over the mountain. Flash flooding…the works. The mother and children prepare to seek shelter. Dad decides to ride it out and do his best to save the family home. Mom and the kids try to get Grandma into the
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An extended family lives in a valley. One night a torrential rain comes over the mountain. Flash flooding…the works. The mother and children prepare to seek shelter. Dad decides to ride it out and do his best to save the family home. Mom and the kids try to get Grandma into the
More >>
March 2, 2011
What I Love About Seth Godin
What I love about Seth Godin is that every time he pitches a new idea to a big company, they throw him out on his butt. "That's the craziest thing we've every heard. It'll never work, you're nuts, get the hell out of here!"
Then Seth goes out and does it himself and sells a gazillion
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Then Seth goes out and does it himself and sells a gazillion
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February 28, 2011
The Opposite of Shame
Chapter 9 The Opposite of Shame is Honor
Once, in India, after years on campaign, Alexander's men threatened to mutiny. They were worn out and wanted to go home. Alexander called an assembly. When the army had gathered, the young king stepped forth and stripped naked.
"These scars on my body," Alexander declared, "were got for you,
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Once, in India, after years on campaign, Alexander's men threatened to mutiny. They were worn out and wanted to go home. Alexander called an assembly. When the army had gathered, the young king stepped forth and stripped naked.
"These scars on my body," Alexander declared, "were got for you,
More >>
February 25, 2011
On Bookbuying and Events
When I want a surprise read, I hold my three-year old daughter over the Costco book table and let her pick out a few books. (recent picks: Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook, Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Marilynne Robinson's Home, and Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge.) Or—I do a reverse pin-the-tail on
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February 23, 2011
The Obligatory Scene
A couple of weeks ago we were talking about the Inciting Incident. I apologize for getting away from it. Let's get back …
The formula says, "The Inciting Incident sets up the Obligatory Scene."
What is the Obligatory Scene?
It's the climax. It's the scene that, if you don't have it, you don't have a story.
In The Hangover,
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The formula says, "The Inciting Incident sets up the Obligatory Scene."
What is the Obligatory Scene?
It's the climax. It's the scene that, if you don't have it, you don't have a story.
In The Hangover,
More >>
February 21, 2011
Tribes, Gangs and Terrorists
Chapter 7 Tribes, Gangs and Terrorists
Every honorable convention has its shadow version, a pseudo or evil-twin manifestation in which noble principles are practiced—but in a "dark side" system that turns means and ends on their heads.
The Mafia and criminal gangs live by rigorous and sophisticated codes of loyalty, discipline and honor. So do terrorist organizations.
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Every honorable convention has its shadow version, a pseudo or evil-twin manifestation in which noble principles are practiced—but in a "dark side" system that turns means and ends on their heads.
The Mafia and criminal gangs live by rigorous and sophisticated codes of loyalty, discipline and honor. So do terrorist organizations.
More >>
February 18, 2011
Virtuosity
I visited a CrossFit "box" last week.
CrossFit came on our radar two years ago, when it referred thousands of CrossFitters to Steve's site, via one small mention on the CrossFit site. Between that first link and last week's visit to one of their "boxes," I realized how much I'd forgotten—and then had to refocus upon—the
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CrossFit came on our radar two years ago, when it referred thousands of CrossFitters to Steve's site, via one small mention on the CrossFit site. Between that first link and last week's visit to one of their "boxes," I realized how much I'd forgotten—and then had to refocus upon—the
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February 16, 2011
The Log Line of Your Life
Are you familiar with what screenwriters call a "log line?"
It's an extremely useful tool—not just for writers, but for artists and entrepreneurs of all kinds. Today I'm going to interview an expert on the subject, Hollywood script consultant Jen Grisanti, who's the author of a new book that I recommend highly–Story Line.
SP: Jen, thanks for
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It's an extremely useful tool—not just for writers, but for artists and entrepreneurs of all kinds. Today I'm going to interview an expert on the subject, Hollywood script consultant Jen Grisanti, who's the author of a new book that I recommend highly–Story Line.
SP: Jen, thanks for
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February 14, 2011
East of Eden
[Last week we introduced this new series, The Warrior Ethos, posting the introduction and Chapters One and Two. Today's post is Chapters Three, Four, Five and Six. The Warrior Ethos will continue in this space every Monday. To see prior posts, click on the "Series" bar above. Let's resume!]
CHAPTER 3 EAST OF EDEN
Where did
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CHAPTER 3 EAST OF EDEN
Where did
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February 11, 2011
Literary and Commercial
If you are a publisher or an editor today in traditional trade book publishing, you have to decide which of the two cultures you want to align yourself with.
The "literary" culture is represented by these publishers: Knopf, FSG, Scribner, Random House, Riverhead, Penguin Press and a number of other houses both independent and corporate owned. These
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The "literary" culture is represented by these publishers: Knopf, FSG, Scribner, Random House, Riverhead, Penguin Press and a number of other houses both independent and corporate owned. These
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