The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle

As the self-help genre has become more popular and diversified, books about artists’ psychology, experience, and technique have also become more common. Pressfield’s first self-help book The War of Art is typical of its genre due to its focus on fear, procrastination, and lack of confidence. It features a frank tone, direct engagement with the reader, and an inclusive approach to all kinds of artists and other professionals.

Matt Bell’s 2022 book Refuse to Be Done also acknowledges the role that Resistance plays in hindering the creative process, though he does not use that term. Bell advises the reader, “I know this can sound a little magical: start writing and the draft will come” (9). However, Bell’s work only addresses writers, both professional and amateur, who want to refine their understanding of the writing process. Bell, a novelist, focuses on the importance of editing and revising drafts of fiction novels. Similarly, in their 2023 book Art and Fear authors David Bayles and Ted Orland discuss the challenges that artists face in finding the courage and motivation to complete their projects. Their book functions on the premise that all artists do their work in uncertainty, so they must redefine what it means to be successful.

Bonnie Friedman’s book Writing Past Dark: Envy, Fear, Distraction and Other Dilemmas in the Writer’s Life also details obstacles to creative productivity, with a focus on her experience as an author. Likewise, Annie Dillard’s book The Writing Life (1990) offers insight into Dillard’s experiences as a writer, and tries to communicate lessons. Like Pressfield, Dillard urges the reader to be bold and overcome their anxieties about the creative process, and not to worry about major setbacks. She advises: “You must demolish the work and start over […] It will be a miracle if you can save some of the paragraphs, no matter how excellent in themselves or hard-won. You can waste a year worrying about it, or you can get it over with now.” Pressfield’s argument that artists should prioritize discipline, good habits, and technique is echoed in choreographer Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit (2005). Tharp emphasizes that creative work does not require special genius or inspiration, but the right mindset and preparation. Like Pressfield, Tharp shares personal rituals and exercises that she follows to remain creatively motivated and productive.

Unlike other work in this genre, Pressfield does not limit his advice to writers. Instead, he continually references a variety of artistic professions and even passions outside of the arts, explaining that Resistance is a universal experience. He asks: “Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what Resistance is” (4). Indeed, Pressfield does not feel that there are creative and uncreative people. He insists that “[w]e’re all creative” (127), and that Resistance is to blame for why some people repress their creative urges.

Pressfield’s frank tone and sense of urgency make his work unique within the genre. Rather than merely share his personal experiences, Pressfield makes universal claims that he urges the reader to respect. For example: “Watch yourself. Of all the manifestations of Resistance, most only harm ourselves. Criticism and cruelty harm others as well” (38), and: “Casting yourself as a victim is the antithesis of doing your work. Don’t do it. If you’re doing it, stop” (28). Whereas other books may make polite suggestions or share subjective experiences, Pressfield opts for a more tough love approach, making his work more controversial than the competition.