Page:
Advice?
Anonymous
So you want to be a writer?
(Charles Bukowski 1920 - 1994)
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.
(Charles Bukowski 1920 - 1994)
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.
Elixir_1758 said:I've written a few poems so far. Any advice on how I can improve? I mostly write when I am feeling strong emotions.
Hi, Elixir. Having looked at the the poems you've posted, you seem to like structure and rhyme. Given that, you could do worse than buy a copy of 'The Ode Less Travelled' by Stephen Fry. It will certainly improve your technical ability and it's fun to read, too, with lots of practise exercises etc. Give it a go. Here's a link:
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Ode-Less-Travelled-by-Stephen-Fry/9780099509349
Other than that, read lots and lots of poetry.
All the best 💐
Hi, Elixir. Having looked at the the poems you've posted, you seem to like structure and rhyme. Given that, you could do worse than buy a copy of 'The Ode Less Travelled' by Stephen Fry. It will certainly improve your technical ability and it's fun to read, too, with lots of practise exercises etc. Give it a go. Here's a link:
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Ode-Less-Travelled-by-Stephen-Fry/9780099509349
Other than that, read lots and lots of poetry.
All the best 💐
Northern_Soul said:So you want to be a writer?
(Charles Bukowski 1920 - 1994)
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.
I love that!
(Charles Bukowski 1920 - 1994)
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.
I love that!
Hello I have a poem I would like if you tell me what I should change or not, I made a couple so this is just one of them.
"Life is a puzzle
A puzzle of time taking
Filled with confusing shapes
Beautiful when done
Hard when starting
Worthwhile when you are almost there
My heart speaks into a mirror
Seeing the regrets that has been made
Choosing not to speak its mind to
The problems that’s been saved.
Im a moving piece that doesn't know where to stay
Feeling lost in the sea of my feelings, trauma, thoughts
Not knowing where to belong
feeling not wanted
Drowning in my sorrows
Seeing love ones come and go as i sit alone
I scream but nothing comes out
mouth is taped closed knowing no one wants to hear or see me
Being thrown away by the very person i loved
the love turned into hate in a flash
Thinking someone will find me but years pass finding im alone
Thoughts raced through the very brain I fear
Life is a puzzle that I wish to end"
"Life is a puzzle
A puzzle of time taking
Filled with confusing shapes
Beautiful when done
Hard when starting
Worthwhile when you are almost there
My heart speaks into a mirror
Seeing the regrets that has been made
Choosing not to speak its mind to
The problems that’s been saved.
Im a moving piece that doesn't know where to stay
Feeling lost in the sea of my feelings, trauma, thoughts
Not knowing where to belong
feeling not wanted
Drowning in my sorrows
Seeing love ones come and go as i sit alone
I scream but nothing comes out
mouth is taped closed knowing no one wants to hear or see me
Being thrown away by the very person i loved
the love turned into hate in a flash
Thinking someone will find me but years pass finding im alone
Thoughts raced through the very brain I fear
Life is a puzzle that I wish to end"
