Comments for Steven Pressfield Blog http://blog.stevenpressfield.com A Video Series and Blog from Author and Historian Steven Pressfield Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:06:11 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Lessons From Ramadi: A Guest Post from Captain Thomas Daly by Thomas Daly http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2009/08/lessons-from-ramadi/comment-page-1/#comment-8030 Thomas Daly Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:06:11 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=645#comment-8030 Raider 3, Anything I've ever written regarding our accomplishments has been about the company, not me as an individual. I urge you to read the book. Semper Fi, Tom Raider 3,

Anything I’ve ever written regarding our accomplishments has been about the company, not me as an individual. I urge you to read the book.

Semper Fi,

Tom

]]> Comment on Downrange: An Informal Report on a trip to Afghanistan with Marine Gen. James N. Mattis by william dertinger http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/downrange-an-informal-report-on-a-trip-to-afghanistan-with-marine-gen-james-n-mattis-2/comment-page-1/#comment-8029 william dertinger Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:50:25 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1993#comment-8029 What a great adventure! cant wait for part three!!! What a great adventure! cant wait for part three!!!

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #27: “Help!” by Doug http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/02/writing-wednesdays-27-help/comment-page-9/#comment-8024 Doug Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:58:32 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1882#comment-8024 Late to the comments, but I just finished reading The War of Art last week, and was very moved by it. To answer your questions: 1) I would not only buy it, I would pre-order it. 2) Further insight would be helpful, but more guidance on winning the fight against Resistance would be even better. (Is waiting for such guidance actually resistance? I guess so.) 3) I would love to see it include "case studies" of how people in different fields fought their battle against Resistance, and won. Un-numbered 4th question) It would be like it from a writing style standpoint, but unlike it in how the content focused on tactics. 5) I don't need a hardcover version. E-book is acceptable. I plan to buy an iPad and would love to see it take advantage of that platform. I don't think he's under 30, but I'm sure Mr. Godin might have a tip or two on marketing. I hope you're already working on this. Many thanks. Late to the comments, but I just finished reading The War of Art last week, and was very moved by it. To answer your questions:

1) I would not only buy it, I would pre-order it.
2) Further insight would be helpful, but more guidance on winning the fight against Resistance would be even better. (Is waiting for such guidance actually resistance? I guess so.)
3) I would love to see it include “case studies” of how people in different fields fought their battle against Resistance, and won.
Un-numbered 4th question) It would be like it from a writing style standpoint, but unlike it in how the content focused on tactics.
5) I don’t need a hardcover version. E-book is acceptable. I plan to buy an iPad and would love to see it take advantage of that platform.

I don’t think he’s under 30, but I’m sure Mr. Godin might have a tip or two on marketing.

I hope you’re already working on this.

Many thanks.

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #20: Giving It Away by Sharon http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2009/12/writing-wednesdays-20-giving-it-away/comment-page-3/#comment-8023 Sharon Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:40:07 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1566#comment-8023 The point is well taken. And, it doesn't apply just to writers and artists. The fact is, success on any playing field is going to involve hard put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other discipline. Most people just aren't as willing to put the effort in as they are to dream about the rewards of success. Perhaps this is why Passion is so critical to success... Who would want to put all that effort into something they hate to do? Thanks for the kick in the pants. The point is well taken. And, it doesn’t apply just to writers and artists. The fact is, success on any playing field is going to involve hard put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other discipline. Most people just aren’t as willing to put the effort in as they are to dream about the rewards of success. Perhaps this is why Passion is so critical to success… Who would want to put all that effort into something they hate to do?
Thanks for the kick in the pants.

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #30: Write For a Star by Annette Mencke http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/writing-wednesdays-30-write-for-a-star/comment-page-1/#comment-8022 Annette Mencke Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:47:39 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1960#comment-8022 To Josh, Absolutely agree. Its all about the Hook & Hit Factor. A well crafted song has depth, magic & melody. You can't define it but you know it when you hear it. Good to hear from a fellow songwriter. :) :) Annette To Josh,
Absolutely agree. Its all about the Hook & Hit Factor. A well crafted song has depth, magic & melody. You can’t define it but you know it when you hear it.
Good to hear from a fellow songwriter. :) :)
Annette

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #28: Depth of Work by Samantha Brightwell http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/02/writing-wednesdays-28-depth-of-work/comment-page-3/#comment-8020 Samantha Brightwell Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:17:18 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1890#comment-8020 oh what a ditz... note to self: don't use HTML tags if you don't know how to close them, girl. my apologies. only the quote was supposed to be in italics. obviously. oh what a ditz…

note to self: don’t use HTML tags if you don’t know how to close them, girl.

my apologies. only the quote was supposed to be in italics. obviously.

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #28: Depth of Work by Samantha Brightwell http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/02/writing-wednesdays-28-depth-of-work/comment-page-3/#comment-8019 Samantha Brightwell Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:13:42 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1890#comment-8019 I'm glad I read Depth of Work #2 before I read this first installment! I think you've answered my first question: <em>Those mornings were depth of work. I had momentum, I had commitment over time; I was busting my butt and really going deep, into a subject that I loved and that I didn’t care whether anybody else was interested in or not./<em> The problem with blogging and writing on the web is the facility for instant feedback. And the difficulty is remaining immune to this. Really going deep requires the commitment to stick to your purpose and intentions, regardless of whether anyone else is interested in it or not. I get it now. I know I can do good work, regularly, and bad work at times too, but I want to do great work. And if that requires a greater retreat from the outside world, so be it. I’m glad I read Depth of Work #2 before I read this first installment! I think you’ve answered my first question:

Those mornings were depth of work. I had momentum, I had commitment over time; I was busting my butt and really going deep, into a subject that I loved and that I didn’t care whether anybody else was interested in or not./

The problem with blogging and writing on the web is the facility for instant feedback. And the difficulty is remaining immune to this. Really going deep requires the commitment to stick to your purpose and intentions, regardless of whether anyone else is interested in it or not. I get it now.

I know I can do good work, regularly, and bad work at times too, but I want to do great work. And if that requires a greater retreat from the outside world, so be it.

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #29: Depth of Work, Part Two by Samantha Brightwell http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/writing-wednesdays-29-depth-of-work-part-two/comment-page-2/#comment-8018 Samantha Brightwell Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:38:14 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1906#comment-8018 I'm trying really hard to understand this because I feel it's so important. Immersion, possession by the Muses, craziness. I get that. Writing makes me crazy, and yet I am more crazy if I don't get to do it. It becomes the thing that is often even more important to me than spending time with people I care about. I feel obsessed, possessed and driven towards this goal that I've cherished since I was a child. To write. It doesn't make sense at times but here I am, still writing, still trying to go deeper into the art--never satisfied. But the paradoxes of blogging really make me question whether to continue with this kind of writing on the web. I can't keep myself out of the tangle of writing for popularity, of looking for validation through comments and feedback and checking my stats. Yet I want my writing to be above the shallow seeking of applause. So much blogging is just empty words. Style without content, or reams of advice about using Twitter to increase your authority, Search Engine Optimization, and all that. It's completely depressing. It seems no one cares about going deep and writing something that really matters. Something that can change people's lives one day. How can I pursue depth of work on the web without getting affected by all the dross? Or would I be better to quit blogging now and work towards publication in other ways? I’m trying really hard to understand this because I feel it’s so important. Immersion, possession by the Muses, craziness. I get that.

Writing makes me crazy, and yet I am more crazy if I don’t get to do it. It becomes the thing that is often even more important to me than spending time with people I care about. I feel obsessed, possessed and driven towards this goal that I’ve cherished since I was a child. To write. It doesn’t make sense at times but here I am, still writing, still trying to go deeper into the art–never satisfied.

But the paradoxes of blogging really make me question whether to continue with this kind of writing on the web. I can’t keep myself out of the tangle of writing for popularity, of looking for validation through comments and feedback and checking my stats. Yet I want my writing to be above the shallow seeking of applause.

So much blogging is just empty words. Style without content, or reams of advice about using Twitter to increase your authority, Search Engine Optimization, and all that. It’s completely depressing. It seems no one cares about going deep and writing something that really matters. Something that can change people’s lives one day.

How can I pursue depth of work on the web without getting affected by all the dross? Or would I be better to quit blogging now and work towards publication in other ways?

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #30: Write For a Star by Jeremy http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/writing-wednesdays-30-write-for-a-star/comment-page-1/#comment-8017 Jeremy Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:09:37 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1960#comment-8017 Thanks Steven! I think you touched on this in <a href="http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/the-creative-process-2-an-interview-with-tim-o’brien/" rel="nofollow">your conversation with Mr. O'Brien</a> when you asked him about the conflict between his characters and "people-as-they-actually-are-or-were." His answer was great: "My fidelity is to the story. To the story alone." I imagine fidelity to one’s characters leads to fidelity to the story. Thanks Steven! I think you touched on this in your conversation with Mr. O’Brien when you asked him about the conflict between his characters and “people-as-they-actually-are-or-were.”
His answer was great: “My fidelity is to the story. To the story alone.” I imagine fidelity to one’s characters leads to fidelity to the story.

]]> Comment on Writing Wednesdays #30: Write For a Star by josh http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/2010/03/writing-wednesdays-30-write-for-a-star/comment-page-1/#comment-8016 josh Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:29:34 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=1960#comment-8016 this is good advice for a musician/songwriter. the hook in my song is the star of the moment when i'm up onstage. f*ck what i want, my song wants attention! this is good advice for a musician/songwriter. the hook in my song is the star of the moment when i’m up onstage. f*ck what i want, my song wants attention!

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