Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield
In the realm of artistic endeavors, we are burdened with high expectations from self and others regarding moderate and high success. But the reality is so much more brutal than one would like to believe. The truth is always looming over my head and it’s a constant reminder to work harder and smarter. And after reading this brutality honest piece of literature, I’m going to understand how to navigate through these artistic tides.
Steven Pressfield is known to the masses as a prolific writer of historical and nonfiction through the work of literature and screenplays. But, before all of that, he was like us: a struggling artist. The only differences is that he already had a foot in the entertainment industry but was still new to the politics of it all. He found it really difficult to stand out on his own because of his “lack of name”.
Lack of name? Yeah…about that…in the entertainment industry, it’s more about who you know rather than what you know. Steven found himself learning that, until he can make a name for himself, he will be forced to let his work be showcased by another one. Reason being? Simple. As Steven pointed out, he didn’t have a brand or name worth mentioning but someone else did and he had to play the game. It was a tough pill to swallow but Steven did it and encouraged us to do the same if you’re going down that route.
Later in the book, Steven explained what other lessons, though lesser than that big one, he had learned in his lifetime. Things such as writing softcore porn and various other genres are just a few of the things that was divulged to the reader. Personally, I found it funny that a porn director for one of the Premium Channels (Showtimes, Cinamax, HBO, etc.) made it a point to tell Steven that sex in softcore porn must be used to move the story along. Seriously, I couldn’t stop laughing but it did make sense.
It’s true that people aren’t going to read your work unless you have a brand to your name. It’s sad but true. But the brutality of the truth gives readers one simple solution to the problem: create your own brand. I recommend reading Your One Word by Evan Carmichael when you get the chance. With that, I’ll give this book an A.
