At the recent UW-Madison Writer’s Institute I attended a breakout session and the presenter mentioned about 100 times to buy the Pressfield book because it would teach you how to end writer’s block once and for all.  While I typically don’t suffer from writer’s block I certainly do suffer from slow down periods, self-distraction and general procrastination.

Pressfield became prominent with his first novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance, at the age of 52.  He held many jobs beginning with a stint in the Marines followed by:  advertising copy writer, school teacher, truck driver, bartender, oilfield roustabout, attendant at a mental hospital, fruit picker in Washington state and finally screenwriter.  These jobs and his travels gave him a depth of human experience.  He has written six other novels and three non-fiction books.  All of the non-fiction books deal with the topic of being a professional writer.

Pressfield writes that the mortal enemy of all writers is – Resistance.  Resistance is generally defined as anything that shoves us away, distracts us or prevents us from doing the work of writing.  It is a purely negative force that is self-generated and self-perpetuated.    In a word, resistance is self-sabotage.  At the core of resistance is fear and of the fears one of the most dangerous is the fear of success.

What is the solution to combating and winning over resistance?  Turning professional – not like a lawyer or stock broker but comparing professional to amateur.  By professional Pressfield means dedicating your life to your art, a full time commitment.  I am a member of a local civic theater group and everyone is an amateur.  They love the theater but they have lives with spouses, kids, jobs to make money and many other things, their activity in the theater is purely for the love of it – amateur.  When Somerset Maugham was asked if he writes by schedule or inspiration he replied:  “I write only when inspiration strikes.  Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

Pressfield also claims that another quality of a professional is that they view their work as craft not as art.  Others view the work as art.  Pressfield devotes many short, pithy chapters to defining the attributes of being a professional.  Turing professional is not difficult according to Pressfield

“There’s no mystery to turning pro.  It’s a decision brought about by an act of will.  We make up our mind to view ourselves as pros and we do it. Simple as that.”

The final section of The WAR of ART tackles the mystical.  Pressfield begins each work day by reciting the Invocation of the Muse from Homer’s Odyssey as translated by T.E. Lawrence (yup, Lawrence of Arabia), the last line reads:  “Make this tale live for us in all its many bearings, O Muse . . .” The purpose of the prayer is to realize that the act of creating taps into the universal, going beyond our limited physical existence.  Pressfield also relies on Carl Jung and his theory of ego, SELF and includes the personal and universal unconscious.  He defines the Self in three short statements:  “Dreams come from the Self.  Ideas come from the Self.  The Self is our deepest being.”  Writers and other artists can overcome resistance by allowing themselves to experience the Self.

Pressfield explains what this means succinctly:  “When the hack sits down to work, he doesn’t ask himself what’s in his own heart.  He asks what the market is looking for.”  For me, this was the clearest explanation that I have ever read.  At the UW-Madison Writer’s Institute it bothered me about the number of people I met that are writing young adult novels.  When you ask them why, to a person the answer is, it sells or because I want to get published.  Frankly, they are hacks.  In fact, sadly, over the years I’ve attended the Writer’s Institute the focus has changed from learning craft to learning how to sell.

Pressfield’s book struck a chord with me exactly at the time I needed the message in his book.  I have been frustrated getting published having wasted 2 ½ years with a publisher with no book, deciding to self-publish, and now because of fate have submitted my manuscript to a small Wisconsin publisher and am waiting their verdict.  If they’re not interested I can still self-publish.  Through the gauntlet I’ve run my desire to create a highly crafted, well-written book has taken precedence over just getting published.  The book is what is important and that’s a focus I must maintain if I’m to sit down and work every day.

Pressfield summarizes perfectly:  “We were put here on earth to act as agents of the Infinite, to bring into existence that which is not yet, but which will be, through us.”

Buy this book.  Read it.  Be a pro.          

The annual UW-Madison Writer’s Institute just wrapped up a three day run April 12-14.  The number attending swelled by over 100 from last year, which forced a move to the Concourse Hotel downtown.  For three days I questioned why the attendance grew so substantially.  In previous years attendees had the opportunity to pitch their work to agents in 8 minute sessions for a meager $15.  This year editors and local publishers were available for pitches also.  It was the opportunity to pitch, not the quality of the conference that attracted the masses.

The Concourse proved totally inadequate as a venue. Four previous suites were converted into ‘conference rooms.”  Every session I attended in one of these conference rooms overcrowded with people sitting on the floor and standing throughout the presentation and breaking the firecode for number of people in a room creating a safety risk.

Another traditional conference room had doors that clanged shut and as people came and went to their pitch sessions the speaker’s were interrupted and the constant noise was a distraction.  The food at lunch on Friday was cold and I was one of the first to go through the line.  There was only one choice for lunch, pasta with a choice of a red or white sauce and mystery sausage.  The food was a real disappointment.

The speakers,well, with the exception of one professor from UW-Madison were forgettable.  I’ve forgotten them already.  I did have one surprise.  I was talking with the President of a small publication house in Rice Lake and shared by story of woe with the micro-publisher I dumped in February.  I was asked what my book what about and I rattled off my previous pitch automatically.  The President asked me to send her my manuscript.  I think I will. 

I’ve always been a person who begins all relationships with trust.  For me, it is the civil approach, to just expect that you can trust people.  I have had friends (people I’ve trusted) tell me that I am naive and leave myself vulnerable to be both disappointed and hurt.  Their advice is that trust must be earned over time.  The problem is, I’ve never figured out what the criteria is for earning trust.

In the real world there have been a few times when my friends are right.  I had a contract with a micro publisher for my debut novel since April 2011 which I terminated in February 2013 – only 22 months.  My initial reason for terminating the contract was their refusal to schedule a publication date for the novel in 2013 after making promises to publish in April and then November 2012 and failed to do so.

For most reasonable people, I believe, that would be sufficient cause to terminate a contract.  However, after reflecting on my experience with the publisher, I’ve decided the real reason was that we never developed trust.  Without trust any relationship is doomed to failure.

I also have a beta reader that I trusted, until recently.  I gave the reader the latest draft of my novel along with a draft of the back of book blurb.  Rather than commenting on the blurb, discussing it with me or making suggestions – he re-wrote the entire blurb.  I was offended.  I considered his attempt to re-write the blub arrogant even though he thought he was being helpful.  No writer needs that sort of help – so in this case – trust was shattered and can’t be repaired.

The lesson is simple.  To help you create your book or whatever creative writing you undertake is careful to work only with people you would trust with your life.  You’re writing is the purest expression of yourself so share the creative process with only those you trust.  

April 11-14 will be the 24th Annual Madison Writer’s Institute; I’ve been attending since 1997.  For the last three years one feature has been to have a “Success Panel” during the luncheon on the first day of the conference.

I’ve wanted to be on the success panel since it began because I’ve written a novel, captured a contract with a traditional publisher and published freelance articles in a variety of media.  Last year even two of my teachers asked why I wasn’t on the Success Panel, I didn’t have an answer.

I e-mailed the Director of the Institute, Laurie Sheer, and asked how to participate on the panel.  I learned there were seven criteria and to be selected a person needed to meet two of the seven.   It was a mystery how attendees learned of this process (a well kept secret?).  I responded, I met four of the seven criteria.  Then I heard nothing for two months.  I sent a follow-up e-mail.  Laurie wasn’t ready to make decisions yet. 

Last week, just a week before the conference, I received an e-mail that I had been selected for the Success Panel.  At last.  I responded with a thank you and asked what the format would be.  Laurie was still deciding on the format and would be in touch.

Last week I received at e-mail with the list of six people on the panel, we would each have 3-4 minutes to speak.  Laurie, on the other hand, has given herself 15 minutes to speak.

I’m feeling like this is not really about a success panel for the writers.  This is about being on exhibition for the attendees.  The message is clear – come to this conference – you’ll get published – see here are six writers to look at.  I’m feeling used.  I’m going to do it anyway.