
#HumpDayReviews: Nobody Wants to Read Your Shit by Steven Pressfield
Over the weekend, I downloaded a free copy of Steven Pressfield’s latest book, Nobody Wants to Read Your Shit, and tore through it.
I highly recommend it to all writers, especially those who are just starting out – whether that’s starting from the very beginning, or stepping into a new genre.
I’m definitely going to be recommending it to all of my editing clients!
So what’s so great about this book?
The title itself conveys most of what you’ll learn. Pressfield’s premise is that nobody really gives a damn about anything you’ve written, no matter how awesome you, as a writer, may think your work is.
In short: you have to earn your audience, and you have to write things that will capture people’s interest, rather than simply humoring your own ego.
How do you do that?
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- Write stories that follow genre tropes.
- Write stories with universal appeal.
- Write stories even when you think you’re supposed to be writing nonfiction.
- Cut everything that’s not on theme!
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Everyone wants to read stories. And stories are about people doing things.
Sounds pretty simple, right?
It may be simple, but it’s not necessarily easy.
Some more bits of wisdom from the book
On writing your “white whale”:
Mediocre ideas never elevate the heart rate. Great ones make you break out in a sweat.
On being an artist:
The Artist enters the Void with nothing and comes back with something.
And if you find yourself lost, unsure what to write next, ask yourself “What’s the concept?”
If you’re interested in learning more about Steven Pressfield and Nobody Wants to Read Your Shit, click here to download a free copy of the book for yourself!

