Episode 78: Let's talk about The War of Art
In today’s episode, Fable and The Verbivore discuss our bookclub pick for March – The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.
As the full title suggests, this book by Steven Pressfield talks openly and unflinchingly about the challenges we all face when trying to create anything - from writing a book to opening a business to designing a website - and the resistant force that we encounter when stepping up to do our work.
We found that this book held true with our own experiences as writers, as well as an encouragement for us to keep pursuing our own creative paths. It was also confronting and eyeopening as to some of the areas in our creative lives where we have work to do.
In this episode, we discuss what goes on within us mentally when we start writing and creating, how both acknowledging the presence of resistance in our process and gaining experience pushing back on it can help us overcome it more readily over time, and that we are ultimately responsible as well as empowered to call ourselves professionals and to take our work seriously.
We hope you enjoy listening this episode and that you find it encouraging wherever you are at on your creative journeys!
Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
Steven Pressfield is an author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays. His breakout novel was The Legend of Bagger Vance published in 1995 and since then he has published sixteen other books on a variety of topics. His non-fiction books on the writing craft include: The War of Art, Do the Work, andTurning Pro. His website is https://stevenpressfield.com/home/ and you can connect with him on Instagram @steven_pressfield.
The Verbivore references a quote mentioned in the book about writing when you’re inspired, this was originally from William Faulkner. Here is the full quote:
“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning.” - William Faulkner
Fable paraphrases a quote from Pablo Picasso. It is:
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso
Books Mentioned:
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work by Steven Pressfield
Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen by Robert Mckee
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting (Methuen Film) by Robert Mckee
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)