WRITING WEDNESDAYS
“Help!”
By Steven Pressfield | Published: February 17, 2010
Friends of Writing Wednesdays, I’d like to ask for your wisdom and feedback. I’m taking a little survey, and you can be of real assistance to me if you’d answer, in the Comments section below, some of the questions I’d like to pose to you. (It’ll be my pleasure to send a signed copy of The War of Art to the half dozen commentators whose advice is most helpful.)
The original "silver bullet" hardcover from Rugged Land Books
Here’s the issue. I’m thinking about writing a follow-up to The War of Art. Sort of a War of Art 2.0. Some things I’d like to know from your perspective are:
1) Would you be interested in such a book? (Tell the brutal truth; don’t be kind.) Would you consider buying it?
2) In what ways would such a book be most helpful to you? As a motivational aid? A kick in the butt? For further insights on Resistance? On professionalism? Something else?
I have my own ideas on these issues, but it would help me a lot to hear what you think.
3) If War of Art 2.0 could be exactly what you want, what would it be? If it had three main sections, what would they be? If the book could deliver a specific feeling as you closed the final page, what would that feeling be?
Would it be like the original War of Art or would it be different? In what ways?
5) Does it matter to you if the book comes out in hardcover? (It doesn’t to me.) Would paperback be just as good? What if it was released as an eBook that you had to download and print out–is that worthwhile or a pain in the butt?
I’m thinking of constructing the book so that it could be read on an iPad–in other words, including video or links along with the text. If you were reading it on an iPad or other such device, what type of videos would you like to see included?
How about personal stuff? When I write, in Writing Wednesdays, of various personal struggles and challenges that I’m dealing with, is that helpful to you or does it get in the way?
Thanks, you guys. I hate surveys as much as the next man, so I appreciate anyone who takes even a couple of minutes to respond to this.
And anybody under thirty who has some brilliant web-based marketing strategies … I’m all ears!
Back to real Writing Wednesdays next week. Thanks!
Steve:
To me, WofA seems complete. Hard to imagine improving on it.
But I’d buy a version 2, sight unseen.
What would I like to see?
More of the same thing that made WofA so rich in the first place. What are you itching and burning to say about this? What’s eating at you? What stories have you heard from readers that moved you? What have you learned that you can’t shut up about?
WofA works because it comes from the gut. It wasn’t focused-grouped into existence. As you said yourself, you had to do it. The voice is everything here.
More of that, please. It’s what elevates the book nine miles above the usual pap like “Nine tips for overcoming procrastination.” Or the Chicken Soup series that was sequeled to death: “Chicken soup for the downsized executive who is now a real estate agent Soul.”
Personally, I’d just be happy to see what YOU want to add to War of Art. That’s what I’d pay for.
Format: I’d pay for a book. Need to feel the pages, and how they get dog-eared with repeated readings.
I’m with Walt. You really provided a good kick in the rear with the first book, and it had so much force and your personal excitement invested that it made me feel you were talking just to me.
Please keep it to paper. These sorts of motivational books (and so far in 50 years, yours is the best I’ve found) are great carry-alongs.
I did enjoy how you related ideas to personal experience.
The War of Art changed my life. I have always been “creative” but Resistance has stopped me from actually finishing things so many times in my career. Until I read your book, I just thought I was weak. Now I know that I needed to be trained for battle.
I have bought The War of Art 6 times for friends and would buy this book sight unseen. Paperback preferred. And I really like ebooks because i can print them at work and read on the train. It reminds me of grad school – reading important research that the professor feels is the most current insight into a topic.
Content: All of the content is compelling. What would help me is even more material on professionalism. As far as video or extended content, I think it would be fascinating to see videos of real people discussing how Resistance has shown itself in their lives and what they do to beat it down to the ground!
One final thing, I work for a church organization, and I think there is a strong theological case to be made that your description of Resistance is the very definition of “sin.” Would make a very good dissertation!
1. I would definitely buy it, as Walt said above, sight unseen.
2. I think there are probably a lot of great things you could put in it, but at minimum as a motivational kick in the butt daily reminder and as a set of patterns and solutions it would be great to expand on WOA. I like to read random selections whenever I feel the need to get moving, and as such you could expand almost indefinitely. I’ll think some more about other things I’d like to see and suggest them because I really want you to write a sequel, but that would be enough for me to buy it.
3. Dealing with the business of selling/making a living writing, although it is changing a lot as media changes I think there are probably the same personalities (crooks, directors, agents, etc.) to deal with in different guises. I would make that section 2. A section on writing extended works, like for a series or rewriting novel-length work. I would make that section 1.
Section 3 I would like to see unfold as a set of vignettes that describe and illustrate/demonstrate technique. Ultimately in the end my feeling would be the same as a satisfying story in which the hero learned to master his craft and succeed in the hurly-burly dangerous competitive world and came out on top but not where he expected to be, bruised but unbroken.
5. I would most likely buy the Kindle and paperback editions. I’d most likely get the hardcover only if its autographed and probably as a gift.
# 1 I will buy and read anything you write about writing, so yes, War of Art 2.0 would be most welcome.
#2 A book on this subject is timely and useful: Many of us who blog and use social media are chagrined to find these platforms support our endeavors—yet, unbridled, also transform into a form of Resistance. Ideally, War of Art 2.0 will motivate, kick butts and delve further into Resistance, especially á propos of modern life and its myriad digital distractions. Where and how do you draw the line with media intrusion?
#3 I’d like the book to include a.) A recap and new insights into art and Resistance b.) Personal stories and examples: work routines, resistance strategies, how you incorporate new media into your daily life. c.) Honest suggestions for combating 2.0-related Resistance. –even if suggestions are unfashionable, e.g.:”Unplug.” Would love to know what your Muse thinks of digital media.
#4 I liked the spare writing style and concise length of The War of Art. It would be great if the 2.0 volume kept your thoughtful, succinct format and didn’t veer into the “I’m figuring this out as I go along” style adopted by so many bloggers.
#5 I like hardcover or paperback. I don’t want to print out an ebook or read on a screen.
I’d preorder a copy of War of Art 2 now, if I could. It is one of the few great books on creativity. I’ll take the book any way you want to give it, but a paper book is preferred. I like to stick WoA in my bag on trips from time to time to reread.
As for an iPad version, the Slate/Pad wars are just getting started. Wait for a bit. Do some video’s on YouTube as marketing for now, free, supplemental videos that you’ll learn what works and then move to the Slate market. Could be a really neat app, a creative persons partner. Check off how much you did that day, how good it was and provide feedback both canned and new videos. Look at the EA games Active (for exercise). It has you journal your health habits and rewards you with feedback. Something like that for battling resistance – that’s a ipad/Slate app that could add huge value combined with the WoA ideas.
As for content, what are the themes you hear over and over again? For me, fighting Resistance is a slog, a battle and anything on facing the battle would help. There are a lot of tactics (professionalism) in your book, but they feel like tactics, because resistance changes. It adapts to my success.
That would be one topic: The War itself, day in and day out and how to realize that Resistance is changing.
Another would be on Resistance’s ally: Life. How do you manage around Resistance in face of the day job, kids, stress, and so forth? How to turn missing one day on Art into a bump and not a roadblock. How do you create when everything seems to be falling apart?
Personal struggles work for me. I like to feel I’m not alone out there. One book to skim a bit on this topic is Mind Games on sports psychology. Many useful ideas on how sports people fight their own demons. It’s wildly different than an artist’s problems but we hold something in common. Our brains get in the way.
Now, I’ve burned through 10 minutes of my writing time. I need to go fight Resistance some more.
Thanks – WoA is one of the important books in my life. Thank you for it.
Mr. Pressfield,
I had the privilege of interviewing you almost 2 yrs. ago for my men@pause podcast. You might remember, I mentioned I served in Army Special Operations at Ft. Bragg.
Sir, I’m “gunning” for a signed book since I exalted you to my buddies Pam Slim, Jonathan Fields, and Chris Guillebeau. Okay, you didn’t need me to do that, but…
Here’s my response to your request:
1. What about a The War of Art applied to online communication for people that will never write a book? Focused on the person who may never write a physical book, but will be regarded as great social media writer. Small business owners reconciling offline w/online conversation & relationship will really dig this. In your original War of Art style, focus on resistance. The War of Art 2.0 muse now has her own domain name and twitter account:)
2. Include success stories of people from reading The War of Art.
3. I recommend the same paperback length and style as The War of Art.
4. I recommend you re-purpose your The War of Art stories w/brief podcast or virtual video interviews. Of course you’ll need an interview host, and I’m “reporting for duty.” Think: The War of Art & The War of Art 2.0 on favorite hand-held mp3 device and phones where people get a quick audio or video kick in the butt.
Mr. Pressfield, thanks for inspiring us.
Matthew Ray Scott
1) Yes. I’d buy the book whatever it turns out to be. But I’d be beating down doors to buy the book if it featured more nuts & bolts implementation, examples of turnarounds, etc.
2) The book would be most helpful in giving me more habits and processes I can put in place around my workday to bolster my efforts at keeping Resistance at bay.
3) The book would have handy rules of thumb, some hard and fast rules, before and after examples, etc. It would be as much of a handbook, field manual, and daily reference as anything.
4) It would be different in focus. The War of Art is damn near poetry: slim, profound, eminently quotable, changes the way you see the world. But a lot of us suck. We now know we’re fighting the enemy called Resistance – and that’s a huge step forwards – but we’re still pretty bad at actually fighting him. A tactics and strategies manual would be a blessing.
5) I’d actually prefer a paperback in plasticky, durable covers – the kind a real field manual or tactics handbook might have. Maybe even a slightly larger than average format such as the one that Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics used. I would NOT want it in an e-book format. Or rather, I would prefer not to only have it in an e-book format.
like several others have said, not just being kind, but i’d buy it without thinking twice, just because of how helpful war of art was/is for me.
for me, what resonated with me the most in war of art was the resistance and the pieces on professionalism, but more than that it was the style that it was written in. brief, poignant thoughts that gave a small peak inside personal struggles.
i would be interested in hearing more on issues and struggles that artists and writers need to overcome. i couldn’t say exactly what those are ( i wouldn’t have identified needing to read about the resistance before i did), but something that’s born out of your own personal struggle.
the war of art made me feel like i need to go create, and that i can go create…that’s why i bought the book for dozens of others as well. i think capturing that same sort of spirit would be the feeling i’d love to end the book with.
as to hardcover, etc – i’d buy it however, but paperback made it cheaper for me to be able to buy multiple copies for more people, and for whatever reason, it felt like it fit the war of art for me. i read a lot on the kindle and would read it as an ebook there, and won’t be using an ipad for reading.
Steve,
Thanks for asking. I felt WoA 1.0 was written for me. Now, I know WoA 2.0 really is.
Michelle
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1) Yes, I would buy it. I still recommend WoA to friends.
2) I would enjoy further insights on Resistance and Professionalism.
As another topic, there are a lot of things that are beyond our control in this economic downturn. It’s hard to not internalize bad things. I’d like to see a section written to address dealing what is controllable vs just bad luck.
3) If War of Art 2.0 could be exactly what you want, what would it be? If it had three main sections, what would they be?
1. How the outside world works with you, and sometimes against you, in your life’s work. How to know the difference between a sign that you should be doing something else vs an obstacle to over come.
2. Inner battles
3. Knowing oneself and reaching for the end goal.
If the book could deliver a specific feeling as you closed the final page, what would that feeling be?
I want confidence that I can endure any hardship with grace and eventually succeed.
Yes, make it like WoA 1 so I can laugh.
5) Paperback.