so you want to be a writer

if it doesn’t come bursting out of youin spite of everything,don’t do
it.unless it comes unasked out of yourheart and your mind and your
mouthand your gut,don’t do it.if you have to sit for
hoursstaring at your computer screenor hunched over
yourtypewritersearching for words,don’t do it.if you’re doing it
for money orfame,don’t do it.if you’re doing it because you
wantwomen in your bed,don’t do it.if you have to sit there
andrewrite 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
somebodyelse,forget about it.if you have to wait for it to roar out
ofyou,then wait patiently.if it never does roar out of you,do
something else.
if you first have to read it to your wifeor your girlfriend or your
boyfriendor 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
ofpeople who call themselves writers,don’t be dull and boring
andpretentious, don’t be consumed with self-love.the libraries of
the world haveyawned themselves tosleepover your kind.don’t add
to that.don’t do it.unless it comes out ofyour soul like a
rocket,unless being still woulddrive you to madness orsuicide or
murder,don’t do it.unless the sun inside you isburning your
gut,don’t do it.
when it is truly time,and if you have been chosen,it will do it
byitself and it will keep on doing ituntil you die or it dies in
you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.

- so you want to be a writer; charles bukowski