Thank You, Steve
What do you do with an author, when he doesn’t do outreach like other authors?
You thank him.
I don’t always agree with Steve.
When he makes a decision I don’t agree with, I nudge him toward my preferred direction.
He replies.
And then I 1) am thrilled we are on the same page; 2) find myself nudging a little harder; or 3) step back and rethink my plan.
It’s a challenge.
Thank you, Steve.
When I first started working with Steve, I had visions of him being an in-demand speaker, bombarded with interview requests and PR opportunities.
Steve did some, but not as many as I wanted. Next book, I thought, he’ll do more.
And then he started the blog.
Thank you, Steve.
We’ve written about the development of Steve’s blog, the power of non-traditional outreach and connecting one on one with readers in the past, so I’m not going to dive in here. (See “The Elephant in the Room,” “On Sharing,” “Bringing It All Together“)
Steve started blogging in 2009, with content anywhere from two-to-five times a week.
I wanted more. I wanted posts every day. I wanted interviews. I wanted speaking events.
“They’ll sell books,” I told Steve. “They’ll increase your audience. You’ll see.”
I was a supporter of the blogging, moving away from traditional media, but I still believed in speaking events and interviews here and there.
Steve remained open to speaking events and interviews, but he pulled back on the number he was doing.
Thank you, Steve.
In the last three years, Steve has written The Profession, Do the Work, Warrior Ethos and the soon-to-be-released Turning Pro—in addition to work related to other projects, his series for his blog, and those things we all face in our day-to-day lives.
Steve would have been pressed to accomplish these things if he’d been scheduled to do speaking events and interviews.
And though I understood the time dedication of interviews and speaking events, I still asked Steve to do them.
I understood, but I didn’t “get it.”
My big fear: That Steve’s readers would pull back, thinking Steve wasn’t responsive and didn’t want to connect one-on-one. I knew that was far from the truth, but I worried about perception. What would people think?
And then Steve wrote his post “Why I Don’t Speak.”
Something clicked.
I “got it.”
It was the first time Steve verbalized his feelings about speaking events.
He enjoys connecting with readers, but doing it via a stage or an interview isn’t his preferred route. He likes the written word. That’s how he’s always shared—how he wants to continue sharing.
So here’s a way that Steve can connect with those who have asked about interviews and speaking events:
If you have something you’d like to ask Steve about, send me an e-mail (click here for e-mail). Type “Steve Pressfield” in the header so I see it if it lands in the Spam box.
I’ll run the different questions by Steve and when he can, he’ll address them via his Writing Wednesdays series.
Thanks for understanding that there’s no way to hit all the questions.
AND—Thank you, Steve.
DO THE WORK
Steve shows you the predictable Resistance points that every writer hits in a work-in-progress and then shows you how to deal with each one of these sticking points. This book shows you how to keep going with your work.
THE AUTHENTIC SWING
A short book about the writing of a first novel: for Steve, The Legend of Bagger Vance. Having failed with three earlier attempts at novels, here's how Steve finally succeeded.
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
Steve shares his "lessons learned" from the trenches of the five different writing careers—advertising, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction, and self-help. This is tradecraft. An MFA in Writing in 197 pages.
TURNING PRO
Amateurs have amateur habits. Pros have pro habits. When we turn pro, we give up the comfortable life but we find our power. Steve answers the question, "How do we overcome Resistance?"
I would trust Steve. I wrote back and forth with him some time ago (during the “Gates” peak)and I, for one, am not a big fan to the social media craze. It has a place, but I don’t see it working for most folks. Good books sell – great books sell even more. Social media won’t change that. Just my opinion.
good stuff, as usual Callie. : )
Thank YOU Callie. You, Steve, and Shawn make one hell of a team. Cheers to each of you.
I second this.
Callie:
Thanks for the bit of back-story on Steven. He and I are both Dookies, but it’s always good to get another angle. He is right in that promoting one’s work, showing up and shaking hands, and making appearances are all distractions from Work.
I personally think that it is a left-brain plot to take over my artsy right-side. The two are in constant conflict inside my skull. Sometimes it is a real headache!
Callie’s articles are always very interesting!
Also I happen to agree with Michael and Ronald.
Social media do help, but there is a limit to that.
(Not to mention that a lot of this ”ingredient” makes the communication to seem somehow fake).
Social media? Speaking engagements? Publicity? That’s all Track Two. Where I’ve been too long. Steve’s on Track One. Where I’m heading. Thank you Steve (and Callie and Shane).
“Steve likes to communicate in wrting” – WOW, was I surprised when Steve answered a question I had about Bagger Vance. An author responding, how refreshing today your post tells me why. Of course when a book came out, I thought I would like, I bought it. Gee his ideas about his market may be right on the money too.
In the first round of games, high seeds play against low seeds. The #1 seed in each division will play the #16 seed, the #2 seed will play the #15 seed, #3 will play #14, and so on.[7]
I admire people like Steve who express their gratitude and appreciation for those who have inspired them and changed their lives.
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