36 thoughts on “So, you want to be a writer? — Charles Bukowski”
dont be like so many people who call themselves writers, dont be dull and boring and pretencious dont be consumed by selflove. The liberaries of the world has yawned themselves to sleep over your kind dont add to that.
This inspired me to stop bullshitting myself. I'm not an artist, i'm not a poet, or a musician. For respect to art i'm quitting. Good luck to everybody.
I absolutely love this poem. And its so true in a lot of ways. Everything always comes out of you, flows out. Like pouring water from a pitcher. Either it will burst the fuck out of you or won't come at all. Writing is something you can't tame at all.
I don't really want to be a writer. I used to HAVE to write because it was an overwhelming need. I would sometimes just write all night fill a journal only to throw it away once the words were out. Now I can usually just listen to some music and pace around without having to cramp and callous my hand. I still like philosophy and poetry but dislike the process of deep emotional agony that accompanies a writing spell.
I see many people in the comments saying this is not motivational and calling it bad advice. I beg to differ. This is the most motivational video I have ever seen. His words resonate a discomfort I have become friends with. Writing is never easy. Writing doesn't involve being motivated. It is ugly and painful and this poem is the best there can be to help me face the reality and get on with such a torturing practice as writing. Pretty words only inspire you for 10 minutes but abandon you before the journey even unfolds. If this poem doesn't make you comfortable with writing, don't do it.
so many people disagreeing with this poem…and maybe thats what the old provoker wanted ….he pushes you in a corner…you wanna be a writer? huh punk? you got what it takes?…if this poem discouraged you , you have a brittle spirit. you wanna write? its gonna be a long road if you want it to be real….you ready punk? oh…youre going to quit now because i said you should? you need to crawl on your belly on the bottom of the darkest ocean….youre gonna be scarred and ratty when it's all done…are you ready?
and.in my opinion..those moments when it comes bursting out of you…pay attention. you can find your way back . or you can let it happen to you again– however you see it. But there are ways of putting your antenna out there once you taste the signal.
The narrator made me unmotivated, I could only listen to 3 seconds of his pretentious voice before quitting. Either have Bukowski read it out or leave the audio blank so we can read it for ourselves, Thanks Shea Lord you mongoloid.
Basically, people believe that Charles tells them to stop writing because they are incapable to do it.
Wrong.
Charles says that if you are unsure of what you write, insecure, unstable or do it for a completely superficial motive, then you aren’t a writer. It is correct. “Libraries yawn from writers of your kind”, yes. That’s true. Nobody needs such writers. The real, genuine writers are fewer than we believe.
Then he explains what IS a writer. Someone who is driven near to madness unless they express through writing. A writer is someone who finds escape in writing, who breathes through it confidently. Who trusts it with their own self and life. That is a writer. That is what Charles is trying to say.
Therefore, feeling “angry” and “offended” over this, makes you incapable to understand underlying meaning and things in depth. Therefore, you aren’t a writer, and if you try to become one, you won’t make a change.
This is total shit. Every writer has rewritten their story dozens of times. JK Rowling re-wrote first chapter harry potter 15 times. The rest of the book about a dozen and over a 6 year span. Writers write because they love to write and no writer is perfect. This is the worst advice I have heard and I dont even write.
"If it doesn't come bursting out of me in spite of everything I don't do it." His genius poetry about the labor of writing only applies to his soul. However, every one of us has a different way to feel the creative process. There is no doubt, his words are magical. It is best though, for the benefit of art itself, to follow your own style, your own path, and forge your own genius.
So many other writers, great writers at that, give the opposite advice: Write anyway. Feeling bored? Write anyway. Stuck in the story? Write anyway. What you write is utter shit? Write anyway, that's what first drafts are for. Go back and rewrite it later.
dont be like so many people who call themselves writers,
dont be dull and boring and pretencious
dont be consumed by selflove.
The liberaries of the world has yawned themselves
to sleep over your kind
dont add to that.
what a man!
His strategy was to remove the competition not to motivate. Every writer does 1 of these things🤣
This inspired me to stop bullshitting myself. I'm not an artist, i'm not a poet, or a musician. For respect to art i'm quitting. Good luck to everybody.
I absolutely love this poem. And its so true in a lot of ways. Everything always comes out of you, flows out. Like pouring water from a pitcher. Either it will burst the fuck out of you or won't come at all. Writing is something you can't tame at all.
I don't really want to be a writer. I used to HAVE to write because it was an overwhelming need. I would sometimes just write all night fill a journal only to throw it away once the words were out. Now I can usually just listen to some music and pace around without having to cramp and callous my hand. I still like philosophy and poetry but dislike the process of deep emotional agony that accompanies a writing spell.
It says do something your heart tells you to
Don’t go overboard with analysing
I see many people in the comments saying this is not motivational and calling it bad advice. I beg to differ. This is the most motivational video I have ever seen. His words resonate a discomfort I have become friends with. Writing is never easy. Writing doesn't involve being motivated. It is ugly and painful and this poem is the best there can be to help me face the reality and get on with such a torturing practice as writing. Pretty words only inspire you for 10 minutes but abandon you before the journey even unfolds. If this poem doesn't make you comfortable with writing, don't do it.
For and alternative viewpoint remember the adage…."Anyone who writes for anything besides money is an idiot."
Sounds like this guy wanted to eliminate the competition.
B
The video is like writing within itself.
so many people disagreeing with this poem…and maybe thats what the old provoker wanted ….he pushes you in a corner…you wanna be a writer? huh punk? you got what it takes?…if this poem discouraged you , you have a brittle spirit. you wanna write? its gonna be a long road if you want it to be real….you ready punk? oh…youre going to quit now because i said you should? you need to crawl on your belly on the bottom of the darkest ocean….youre gonna be scarred and ratty when it's all done…are you ready?
and.in my opinion..those moments when it comes bursting out of you…pay attention. you can find your way back . or you can let it happen to you again– however you see it. But there are ways of putting your antenna out there once you taste the signal.
If your thinking of NOT committing suicide. Don't do it… aka F this video.
The narrator made me unmotivated, I could only listen to 3 seconds of his pretentious voice before quitting. Either have Bukowski read it out or leave the audio blank so we can read it for ourselves, Thanks Shea Lord you mongoloid.
Even Bukowski says he writes one night and rewrites it the next night.
What the hairy pussy has to do with the poem??
Music ruins this piece..A poem is a poem. It's spoken word. It's not a song. It doesn't need a backing track. This is not poetry
Multiple people interpret this incorrectly.
Basically, people believe that Charles tells them to stop writing because they are incapable to do it.
Wrong.
Charles says that if you are unsure of what you write, insecure, unstable or do it for a completely superficial motive, then you aren’t a writer. It is correct. “Libraries yawn from writers of your kind”, yes. That’s true. Nobody needs such writers. The real, genuine writers are fewer than we believe.
Then he explains what IS a writer. Someone who is driven near to madness unless they express through writing. A writer is someone who finds escape in writing, who breathes through it confidently. Who trusts it with their own self and life. That is a writer. That is what Charles is trying to say.
Therefore, feeling “angry” and “offended” over this, makes you incapable to understand underlying meaning and things in depth. Therefore, you aren’t a writer, and if you try to become one, you won’t make a change.
This is total shit. Every writer has rewritten their story dozens of times. JK Rowling re-wrote first chapter harry potter 15 times. The rest of the book about a dozen and over a 6 year span. Writers write because they love to write and no writer is perfect. This is the worst advice I have heard and I dont even write.
ok, this is stupid. if you want to write, JUST WRITE, DO WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT!
Just dont do it
If you want to be a writer, don’t listen to this poem…
I think the point is if you decide after this poem to not do it because he said so, don't do it.
Just do it
"don't be dull, boring and pretentious"
Bruh
Do you hear yourself
Chuck Wendig would throw hands at this video
Try not
"If it doesn't come bursting out of me in spite of everything I don't do it."
His genius poetry about the labor of writing only applies to his soul. However, every one of us has a different way to feel the creative process. There is no doubt, his words are magical. It is best though, for the benefit of art itself, to follow your own style, your own path, and forge your own genius.
Truth
Thanks for making this video <3
Honestly some of this is terrible advice
even rr martin doesnt feel motivated sometimes
fuck off
So many other writers, great writers at that, give the opposite advice: Write anyway. Feeling bored? Write anyway. Stuck in the story? Write anyway. What you write is utter shit? Write anyway, that's what first drafts are for. Go back and rewrite it later.
That's how you get better.
THIS BACKGROUND MUSIC IS HORRIBLE, DOESN'T FIT AT ALL
If you're focusing too much on this poem, don't do it.