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creativity, pressfield, Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, War of Art, writer, writer inspiration, writers, Writers Resources
Many of us have already read Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.” It’s a book for any writer, any creative and in it, Pressfield outlines what it means to be a professional creative. He leads the reader on a journey by being very open about his own. The book is written in bite sized chapters about resistance, combatting resistance and finally, what to do to keep moving once you’re on the other side. Below is the conclusion of the book and a rousing call to action. It’s a kick in the pants and a nice thing to read when you’re taking things too seriously or not taking them seriously enough.
“Are you a born writer? Were you put on earth to be a painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can only be answered by action.
Do it or don’t do it.
It may help to think of it this way. If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don’t do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy yourself. You hurt your children. You hurt me. You hurt the planet.
You shame the angels who watch over you and you spite the Almighty, who created you and only you with your unique gifts, for the sole purpose of nudging the human race one millimeter farther along its path back to God.
Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”