I’ve said before that I really don’t like books about creativity that are supposed to help me unleash my inner genius and demolish writer’s block and all that jazz. The last time I mentioned one here my take on it was less than favorable. That said, I came across a reference to The War of Art by Steven Pressfield on Get Rich Slowly (enough links there?) I was motivated to at least look at it. I’m really glad that I did.
My take on doing creative work has always been “shut up and do it.” That is to say, talk less and do more. For every moment spent talking about an idea a moment that could have been used executing it is lost forever. I’ve known (and been) so many who love to talk about being an artist but have no interest in buckling down to do the work. There is a passion for talking about art yet actually sitting down and producing something seems to somehow get lost in the shuffle and discussion of the creative process and all of the wonderful ideas that one has floating around in the ether.
Generally, I find these tomes on creative production counterproductive because they give the reader an excuse not to start the work right now. “I can do it after I devour the inspiration that is bound to be in these pages!” Or, as often as not, the reader can pick up another book that may hold the same promise. This doesn’t serve the truly creative person who might really have a problem or be stuck and instead panders to the wannabes. Those people who will never actually follow through.
So how is The War of Art different? Well, first of all, the book is divided into three sections. The chapters in each section are about a page long. It’s all very concise. I could pick it up and put it down quickly. I can see myself opening it in a panic for a quick slap to the face without having to lose more time to it than is absolutely necessary. A shot in the arm should be quick and painful. The War of Art provides just that.
The text itself is not flowery. Pressfield gets to the point. It’s as though he knows that he only has a few moments to get something across to the reader and push her out the door and onto the next phase of her creative existence. I greatly appreciate this. I don’t need a history of something and a dozen case studies of artists I have never heard of. I want someone to talk to me about me and what I’m experiencing to get the process moving again. My time is valuable and the author understands.
Finally, my favorite thing about this book is the simple fact that everything in there is something that I already knew but that Pressfield took the time to put down on paper for me. I know that the only way to get something done is to do it. I know that fame and fortune are the worst motivation to take on any creative endeavor. I know that resistance lurks around every corner and that it is so much easier to make an excuse than it is to do something. I know all of this! But sitting down and reading it in the chunks he has broken these simple facts down into makes it infinitely more potent and pulls all of my attention to the real problem at hand.
I’m a person who has a seasonal creative block. I would like to think that the occasional innoculation from this book will keep that away or at least minimize the damage. If you’re the kind of person who needs kid gloves and coddling, this book is not for you. If you think you’re the kind of person who needs that coddling, you’re probably not. Life’s tough, wear a helmet. And read this book.
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