E-Book Overview
There's a mantra that real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this:
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T.
Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
“When you understand that nobody wants to read your shit, you develop empathy. You acquire the skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs—the ability to switch back and forth in your imagination from your own point of view as writer/painter/seller to the point of view of your reader/gallery-goer/customer. You learn to ask yourself with every sentence and every phrase: Is this interesting? Is it fun or challenging or inventive? Am I giving the reader enough? Is she bored? Is she following where I want to lead her?"
E-Book Content
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
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also by steven pressfield FICTION The Legend of Bagger Vance Gates of Fire Tides of War Last of the Amazons The Virtues of War The Afghan Campaign Killing Rommel The Profession The Knowledge NONFICTION The War of Art The Warrior Ethos Turning Pro Do The Work The Authentic Swing The Lion’s Gate An American Jew
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NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T Why That Is and What You Can Do About It
STEVEN PRESSFIELD BLACK IRISH ENTERTAINMENT, LLC
New York/Los Angeles
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BLACK IRISH ENTERTAINMENT LLC 223 EGREMONT PLAIN ROAD PMB 191 NORTH EGREMONT, MA 01230 COPYRIGHT © STEVEN PRESSFIELD COVER DESIGN BY DERICK TSAI, MAGNUS REX COVER SAMPLER DESIGNED AND STITCHED BY JULIE JACKSON @SUBVERSIVECROSSSTITCH.COM EDITING BY SHAWN COYNE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FIRST BLACK IRISH ENTERTAINMENT EDITION MAY 2016 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR BULK PURCHASES, VISIT WWW.BLACKIRISHBOOKS.COM ISBN: 978-936891-49-8 EBOOK ISBN: 978-936891-50-4
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for sh aw n coy n e, w ho m ade m y c a r e e r i n mor e ways t h a n on e
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NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
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1. T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T LESSON I EVER LEARNED
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subsequent incarnation.
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2. M Y FA M I LY
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3. A W R IT ING JOB
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account management dept
18th Floor
account management dept
17th Floor
creative dept
16th Floor
creative dept
15th Floor
media dept
14th Floor
research dept
12th Floor
That was me.
occurred to me.
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4. N O B O DY WA N T S T O R E A D YO U R S H * T
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wants to read your shit. Your ads, I mean. -
want? years in school that the world is waiting to read what
In the real world, no one is waiting to read what
Nobody wants to read anything. -
busy. Nobody wants to read your shit.
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NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
NOT to read it. commerce. When you understand t