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CHARL UKOWKI’ RUL FOR WRITI HONT, HAV A FW DRINK, AND UMIT VRYTHING

Augut 14, 2015 Literar Hu (http://lithu.com/author/literar-hu/)

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Charle ukowki’  On Writing (http://www.harpercollin.com/9780062396006/o

 writing) come out from cco ook on Augut 27th. In honor of hi irthda, thi un

 Augut 16th, we offer here hi mot important inight on what it take to e a writer.

 

1.

Give ourelf time to mature a a writer.

“Well, I’m 34 now. If I don’t make it the time I’m 60, I’m jut going to give melf 1

 ear.” 

2.

Let our creativit ￖnd whatever outlet it need.

“Now print m occaional out hand and point them up with drawing (like an oth

madman). ometime I jut throw the torie awa and hang the drawing up in the a 

(ometime on the roller).” 

3.

 Treat the umiion of our work like it’ a jo.

“I rememer when I ued to write and end [ tor Magazine ] ˇfteen or twent or mor

a month, and later, three or four or ˇve—and motl, at  leat, one a week. From New

and Frico and Miami and L.A. and Phill and t. Loui and Atlanta and Greenwichand Houton and everplace ele.” 

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 4.

ometime ou have to write a lot of ad tuff to get to the good tuff.

“I’m not one to look ack on wanton wate a complete lo—there’ muic in everthing,

defeat.” 

5.

It’ ok to rel on magic.

“Went ack to night chool there aout a ear ago and took ome art coure, commercial

otherwie ut then too, the moved too low for me and wanted too much oeiance. I ha

deˇnite talent or trade, and how I ta alive i largel a matter of magic.” 

6.

Don’t worr aout grammar.

“ȩank ou for leening the low on m weakne of grammar mentioning that om

college friend have troule with entence tructure. I think ome writer do uffer thi f  mainl ecaue at heart the are reelliou and the rule of grammar like man of the ot

of our world call for a herding in and a conˇrmation that the natural writer intinctive 

ahor.” 

7.

Don’t overwork our writing. Often, the ￖrt i et.

“I have not worked out m poem with a careful will, falling rather on haphazard and

  formulation of wordage, a more ˘owing concept, in a hope for a more new and livel pa 

8.

 Work all the jo.

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“Worked in laughterhoue, dog icuit factor, Di Pinna’ of Miami each, cop o on

Orlean’ Item, lood ank in Frico, hung poter in New York uwa 40 feet elow th

drunk hopping eautiful golden third rail, cotton in erdo, tomatoe; hipping clerk, tr 

driver, horeplaer ordinar, holder down of artool throughout a dull alarmclock nati 

upported hackjo whore; foreman for American newco., New York, ear-Roeuco, ga tation attendant, mailman…” 

9.

Don’t get an MFA.

“ Your criticim correct: poem umitted wa looe, lopp, repetitive, ut here’ the kerne

cannot WORK at a poem. Too man poet work too concioul at their tuff and when

their work in print, the eem to e aing… ee here, old man, jut look at thi POM.

even a that a poem hould  not e a poem, ut more a chunk of omething that happen

out right. I do not elieve in technique or chool.” 

10.

Reall, don’t  get an MFA.

“Alo got our new card toda, mut agree with ou that one can talk poetr awa and

awa, and I get more out of eing around people—if I have to—who never heard of D

hake or Prout or ach or Picao or Rem. or color wheel, or what. I know a couple

  ˇghter (one with 8 win treak going), a horeplaer or two, a few whore, x-whore, a

alcoholic; ut poet are ad on the digetion and eniilit, and I could make it trongethen the are proal etter than I make them, and there i a lot of wrong in me.” 

11.

 Writing i mae like fucking.

“Writing i like mot writer think fucking i: jut when the tart thinking the are doi

 prett good the top doing it altogether.” 

12.

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 ere are no ad idea.

“Idea for literar journal: e Toilet Paper Review … which would e tpewritten

toilet paper (our motto eing, “We Give a hit!”) would ue ome caron in tping and

would glue toilet paper to regular paper and make original cover drawing for each mag

out.” 

13.

 Avoid exceive dialogue.

“ither fuck it right it write it paint it. 2 gu talking don’t do much for me.” 

 

14.

 You can’t write poetr with a eard.

“Hi eard tand out and tend to ave him ut ou can’t write poetr with a eard.” 

15.

e honet with our fellow writer.

“Ah, hit, Carol, thee are not ver good. I am itting here drunk + it i raining, ha ee

da, and thee are not ver good. […] “dge” till the et of thee. ut our lat line t 

19th-centur French-literar Romanticim. What the fuck. You know thi. I am going to

a good magazine. And doing o ometime mean eing cruel and eing cruel ometime

eing right.” 

16.

Rejection i good for the oul.

“Of coure, hit, hope ou can ˇnd a poem or two in thee; if not return thoe ou cannotthe work. rejection i good for the oul. m oul i now a mule.” 

 

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• •

rustdog  • 

If ever there was a Desolation Angel it was Charles Bukowski. Thanks for posting this.

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