A Zoom Call With Steve
One of the ways we promoted A MAN AT ARMS a few years ago was to offer a half-hour ZOOM call with me.
Anyone who ordered 25 copies got a video “coaching call.” He or she could talk about anything—their own book, issues with Resistance, anything.
They could record the conversation and use it as a podcast or something to share with business associates or team members.
The response was so strong, I’m doing it again for THE ARCADIAN.
We’ve upped the minimum buy to 50 but everything else stays the same.
In fact, here’s the link. It takes you to a page that explains the details.
You may say—as I did at first, considering this idea—“Oh, come on! Who’s gonna take you up on something like this?”
But that thought is Resistance.
It’s self-doubt.
A few years ago I got a chance to meet one of my literary heroes, Tom Guinzburg, the long-time president of Viking Press. The conversation only lasted a few minutes—followed by a short, hand-written note Mr. Guinzburg sent later—but his kindness and belief in me made all the difference for me writing (and finishing) GATES OF FIRE.
Don’t be shy about making a proposal like this to your readers.
A few minutes with you could change a person’s life.
Order (or pre-order) 50 copies of THE ARCADIAN and get a half-hour ZOOM call with 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?"
Thank you so much dear Steve. Then at A MAN AT ARMS I had the luck to meet you and to never give up. I quit writing but I didn’t give up. New paths forced me in, some horrible and continuous, some the hopes of the future world but external, but I didn’t give up. Now I can’t find nothing at all worthwhile to write to end that “£!*$ book, but I didin’t give up.
Unfortunately the situation is so desperate that I can’t afford to buy your past live seminar yet and the books now, but I don’t give up. And I have you always on my side through here, talking with you in this more spiritual e-way, always challenging my path through your constant reminder that fights my own psyche.
And I write again.
My love to you, Diana and all our friends and all your team.
Can’t wait to read it.
Great words and ideas here. I remember the first and only editor who scribbled a few sentences on a query letter. His advice led me in a different direction and to my first humorous, short story publication, the first of many.
Thanks, Steve for this community. Friendships here sustain those of us who need the support to fight resistance.
And to Tolis, keep fighting brother. I have faith in you.
It is my honor to read this Jackie. We have future to do. <3
Hang tough, Tolis. There’s always a path, adelfós.
Yes, dear Joe. A million paths to lead us home. <3
I think I may print out that pic of Steve and frame it to keep by my desk. Nobody inspires me more than an accountability partner, and Steve, you’ve been inspiring me for years.
Love this idea, Jet.
This is a brilliant idea! Noted.
I’m several dozen pages into The Arcadian and it’s got me staying up and late and turning pages. Bravo, SP!
Highlighting some spots where I was underlining the interesting/fresh use of language, or making notes in the margin:
** Telamon’s “three-legged cat”: Teaspoon! Mo! Making a cameo appearance!
** “The girl’s dog had been capering about the intervals between the formations.” — I loved the verb “capering.” Not sniffing, skulking, exploring, inspecting among the formation of horses. “Capering.” It implies inquisitive, exploratory, playful.
** “Speech failed the maid. She goggled blankly.” — She “goggled blankly.” Two words and you can really picture her facial expressions.
** The mother made the daughter and sons “curry their hair.” Not “brushed,” not “combed.” And the verb “curry,” typically used to describe “brushing the coat of an animal like a horse,” complements the equine theme that’s being developed.
** “She strangled a chicken.” Yes, the sentence could have described the mother “preparing a chicken” or “roasting a chicken.” But “strangling” their dinner implies so much more about the brutal truth of the world they inhabit.
** “The man’s lips declined into a smile.” Other texts might say “he smiled” or “he grinned” or “he nodded.” But “decline” is a process, a movement, something emergent. And seriously, I have never seen “a character smiling” being described in this way.
** The people came to know that this axe-sharpener had been a mercenary: “…that much [they] had gleaned from his converse.” Seriously now. In a first draft, we might have written, “they’d heard him say” or “the rumor was that…” But “gleaned from his converse” is archaic enough to give a feel and soundfor the 1500s. It’s artful.
** The padres “quartered as many of these pilgrims as their modest establishment could compass.” Little word choices like “could compass” (not “could hold” or “could handle”), makes me sit in my chair and do a fist-pump.
** “a starveling goat”
** “this rump section of Don Philippe’s column”
** “each formation bore the colors of the grandee under whom it had mustered.”
** “Fiddlers and musicians…gamboled about, performing ribald ditties”
** “…a staple of Andalusian equitation”
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Surprising and delightful use of word choice. It makes a sentence or paragraph sparkle.
I try not to ask Steve direct questions in these Comments. If I were to ask a question, it would be: Do these unconventional, unhackneyed, original word choices tend to appear in a first draft? Or only in revisions? “Let’s see what I wrote here. ‘Spanish horsemanship…’ Hmm… feels clunky. How about ‘Andalusian equitation’? Oh yeah. Much better.”
And book dedication “For Jim Gant.” Noted.
Deep into the third revision, Joe. Backed up by Thesaurus.com!
Good to know, Steve. It’s instructive to be reminded… it’s gonna suck right out of the gate. But we can fix it later. (The key being having something on the page to fix.) ‘Preciate ye.
“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”
Its a great idea so long as you are a somewhat established writer. If you are not yet well-known, I cannot see that as a very successful strategy. But I still appreciate this line of thinking!
Great photo of you Steve!