Steven Pressfield Was 52 (!) Before His First Novel Sold
"A good day is when the flow starts to happen and you kind of lose yourself in it. But you cannot count on those days. So I'm a real believer in grinding — just get in there and take what the defense will give you." — Steven Pressfield
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Years before Steven Pressfield wrote his best-selling hits like Gates of Fire and The War of Art, Steven Pressfield didn't sell his first novel until he was 52. After over two decades of trying!
In Part 2 of our conversation, he and Rain dig into what kept him going, and what keeps him going still.
From his daily gym ritual to his philosophy on the Muse, from building a catalog instead of betting everything on one book to his relationship with mentor Robert McKee, this episode is a masterclass in the long game of creative work.
If you're in the weeds, struggling to finish, or wondering whether it's too late, this is the conversation you need to hear.
In this episode, you will learn how to:
Build a daily creative habit that beats Resistance even when inspiration doesn't show up
Think in catalogs, not single projects, to take pressure off any one piece of work
Use physical movement and morning routines as momentum for the creative work that follows
Trust the Muse over the market—your least commercial idea may be your most resonant one
Embrace the long game and stop measuring yourself against overnight success stories
“A good day is when the flow starts to happen and you kind of lose yourself in it. But you cannot count on those days. So I'm a real believer in grinding — just get in there and take what the defense will give you.”
- Steven Pressfield
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-storytelling-lab/
https://open.spotify.com/show/4lzDYE3HbAwTSmUYBXuMZp
Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 — How Discipline Was Born From Rock Bottom
02:04 — Lower the Minimum. Always Show Up
05:44 — The Muse Is Watching. Are You Working?
08:44 — What Makes a Good Writing Day
09:59 — 60 Years of Writing: How the Voice Changed
11:41 — Why the Gym Is Rehearsal for the Page
13:19 — Meditation, Resistance and Warming Up the Brain
15:42 — What Athletes, Artists and Entrepreneurs Share
18:04 — Think in Catalogs, Not Single Projects
19:44 — Trusting the Muse Over a Five-Year Plan
21:36 — Write What Grabs You, Not What Sells
24:09 — How Do You Know When It's Done?
28:01 — Cole Porter Had a Million Songs. So Do You.
29:37 — What Steven Learned From Robert McKee
30:52 — Advice for Anyone Stuck in the Dark Forest
33:26 — Two Hours a Day Is a Full Creative Career
36:22 — Is It Ever Too Late?
38:22 — The Head vs The Heart: Which Matters More?
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
🔗 Follow Steven on:
Website → https://www.stevenpressfield.com
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/steven_pressfield/
Book → The Arcadian by Steven Pressfield (out May 2025) https://amzn.to/4dA7yFJ
Book → A Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4uvYojv
Book → Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4nVT5aT
Book → The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/4tXWiYM
Book → The War of Art by Steven Pressfield https://amzn.to/43wWTWn
Person Referenced → Robert McKee
Person Referenced → Randy Wallace (screenwriter, Braveheart)
Person Referenced → Rick Rubin
Person Referenced → Jack Carr (thriller writer)
Novel/Film Referenced → Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir)
For more storytelling tips and strategies,
Visit my website rainbennett.com, or
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