About Writing

[mal]

I love what Bukowski said about writing (I just did a copy&paste):

Spoiler: Bukowski quote

if it doesn’t come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don’t do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don’t do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don’t do it.
if you’re doing it for money or
fame,
don’t do it.
if you’re doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don’t do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don’t do it.
if it’s hard work just thinking about doing it,
don’t do it.
if you’re trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.


if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you’re not ready.

don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and
pretentious, don’t be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don’t add to that.
don’t do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don’t do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.

Thanks for that Demeter. Very cool and very true. I have read a lot of Bukowski in the past, but not that. Beautiful. All the best, mal.

 

[Lepplady]

 

[skimom2]

George R.R. Martin fan

 

[Connor B]

George R.R. Martin fan

"The Lannisters send their regards."

 

[Demeter]

Thanks for that Demeter. Very cool and very true. I have read a lot of Bukowski in the past, but not that. Beautiful. All the best, mal.

I have yet to read a book by Bukowski but I always loved this poem. I figured somebody who wrote this beauty needs to be read. Any recommendations?

 

[Demeter]

Sometimes it doesn't come "roaring out of you" though. Like after my heart surgery I had nothing. Mr. King said for a long time after his accident, it just wasn't there and the wheels were not spinning but he slogged through, slogged through like bicycling through mud and honey.

I think like David Mamet said in Glen Gary Glen Ross Salesman always have to be selling--writers ALWAYS HAVE TO BE WRITING (and reading) whether it feels good bad or ugly, otherwise how is a writer to learn? Can we learn just as much from our bad writing as our good? Oh and by the way I am looking for an editor...so anyone knows of a good one...

Of course it doesn't, not all the time, but when it does it's beautiful. I think the main idea here was more along the lines of someone who feels the need to write, rather than someone who sits in front of the screen/paper and always complains nothing's coming through. Writing has to be something you need to do and want to do (at least most of the time). Sure, there will be dry spells and sometimes it feels like a chore but that's part of the process. I listened to a podcast recently - Martin Gore (singer and songwriter of Depeche Mode) was being asked about the creative process and if he has days when nothing comes to him and he said, of course, it happens, days when he just fiddles around with instruments in the recording studio.

 

[Grandpa]

I know you're all used to this with the stuff that Gracious Host writes......

.....but.....

.....I just wrote my first scene ever of a senseless killing, coming from nothing but the malice and diseased thought processes of the offender.

I'm not used to it. It's important to the story, but I feel kinda dirty now.

 

[Neesy]

I know you're all used to this with the stuff that Gracious Host writes......

.....but.....

.....I just wrote my first scene ever of a senseless killing, coming from nothing but the malice and diseased thought processes of the offender.

I'm not used to it. It's important to the story, but I feel kinda dirty now.

You should.

I would be worried about you if you didn't, Grandpa

 

[Senor_Biggles]

Like

I know you're all used to this with the stuff that Gracious Host writes......

.....but.....

.....I just wrote my first scene ever of a senseless killing, coming from nothing but the malice and diseased thought processes of the offender.

I'm not used to it. It's important to the story, but I feel kinda dirty now.

Like all the best things in life, if it doesn't make you feel at least a little dirty then you're probably not doing it right.

 

[mal]

I have yet to read a book by Bukowski but I always loved this poem. I figured somebody who wrote this beauty needs to be read. Any recommendations?

Hi Demeter, There is so much and I am very bad with titles. I remember liking 'Post Office' and 'Women' and a lot of his poetry as well. I have an old Robert Crumb illustrated Bukowski story in the basement somewhere that was nice. He has a book of letters between him and Al Purdy ( A Canadian Poet) that I found interesting. Al Purdy is pretty good as well. All the best, mal

 

[Aaron Lewis]

I know you're all used to this with the stuff that Gracious Host writes......

.....but.....

.....I just wrote my first scene ever of a senseless killing, coming from nothing but the malice and diseased thought processes of the offender.

I'm not used to it. It's important to the story, but I feel kinda dirty now.

I see this is an old thread, but wanted to insert my two cents...

Grandpa, I've been writing for a few years now and have come to terms with that feeling. It does feel dirty. Somehow, you feel responsible for writing it down. However, if you feel dirty writing it, imagine the feeling the reader will have. Isn't that what's all about?

Now, if someone could pick up those pennies I dropped, I'll just leave.