"A good day is when the flow starts to happen and you kind of lose yourself in it. But you cannot count on those days. So I'm a real believer in grinding — just get in there and take what the defense will give you." — Steven PressfieldORDER THE ARCADIAN HERE: https://amzn.to/4nYHV5eSteven Pressfield is your favorite writer's favorite writer.But years before his best-selling hits like Gates of Fire and The War of Art, Steven Pressfield didn't sell his first novel until he was 52. After over two decades of trying!In Part 2 of our conversation, he and Rain dig into what kept him going, and what keeps him going still. From his daily gym ritual to his philosophy on the Muse, from building a catalog instead of betting everything on one book to his relationship with mentor Robert McKee, this episode is a masterclass in the long game of creative work.If you're in the weeds, struggling to finish, or wondering whether it's too late, this is the conversation you need to hear.In this episode, you will learn to:Build a daily creative habit that beats Resistance even when inspiration doesn't show upThink in catalogs, not single projects, to take pressure off any one piece of workUse physical movement and morning routines as momentum for the creative work that followsTrust the Muse over the market — your least commercial idea may be your most resonant oneEmbrace the long game and stop measuring yourself against overnight success storiesSpecial Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor for this episode, Vocatales → https://www.vocatales.comLinks & ResourcesFollow Steven Pressfield:Website → https://www.stevenpressfield.comInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/steven_pressfield/Book → The Arcadian by Steven Pressfield (out May 2025) https://amzn.to/4dA7yFJBook → A Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4uvYojvBook → Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4nVT5aTBook → The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4tXWiYMBook → The War of Art by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/43wWTWnPerson Referenced → Robert McKeePerson Referenced → Randy Wallace (screenwriter, Braveheart)Person Referenced → Rick RubinPerson Referenced → Jack Carr (thriller writer)Nove/Film Referenced → Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir)For more storytelling tips and strategies, visit:Website → https://rainbennett.comPodcast → https://thestorytellinglabpodcast.comOr follow along at:TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@chiefstorytellingofficerTwitter/X → https://twitter.com/rainbennettInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/rainbennettFacebook → https://www.facebook.com/thestorytellinglabYouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@RainBennett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related