Charles Bukowski on dying and how to write

you're not afraid about this no in fact I almost feel good at the approach of death why you have a nice wife all that's okay but you see as you live many years things take on a repeat as that ended are you ended no it's okay things take on a repeat you understand you keep seeing the same thing over and over again the same substance the same action the same reaction so you get a little bit tired of life so its death comes you almost say okay baby it's time it's good so I know I have very little fear of death in fact I almost welcome it did you ever read Malcolm Lowry's under the volcano yeah I did not on myself to [ __ ] why why because like any other writer there's no pace there's no quickness in his lines there's no life there's no sunlight when you write your words must go like this BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM BIM each line must be full of a delicious little juice flavor they must be full of power they must make you like to turn a page BIM BIM BIM what these guys do they say well in the blah blah dadada there was a porch chair the Flies were walking around you see the two leisurely they're setting up the scene for the grand emotion and when they get to the grand emotion there isn't any hmm this is a different agency atomic age each line must have its own power its own feeling its own juice its own flavor writing must never be boring it must not bore the reader there later it must not bore anybody you have to have juice in each line don't you see you don't believe me I'm trying to tell you I get so writers put me to sleep they always did they always will each line must be an entity unto itself but must carry its own like a voltage juice you can't say mrs. McGillicutty was sitting in her chair it was 3:30 p.m. on a southern morning in Georgia mr. gillich OD was this is all is already dead you see you must say the thing the thing does he died from alcohol you're not afraid are you thinking of Faulkner and then it was one of the worst practitioners of course but now I'm talking about Loie he dies from alcohol the hungry oh yeah well it's nice to die of alcoholism it's very glorious but if you write dull [ __ ] it doesn't do any good what you die from you see out alcohol is not a great thing because you die from alcohol doesn't mean you're any good you gotta leave some words behind he died swallowing his own vomit great now it's not even a professional drunk when I really have a big drunk I put my said on the side of the mattress and let it like this so if I vomit it's just gonna go to the floor this mess not even a [ __ ] professional drunk besides that is bad dull writing next question for Christ's sake do you have another question drink some more scotch it'll cheer you enjoy yourself man forget this an interview I like you as a person the horrors of life

Channel: Lee Wanner

Views: 1,798,983

Rating: 4.9589972 out of 5

Keywords: Charles Bukowski (Author), How-to (Website Category)

Id: MTPxWkBgW6U

Length: 4min 38sec (278 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 12 2014

Reddit Comments

[u/[deleted]]

Not to sound like a cliche, but I don't fear it as much as I used to. I think that's because I'm so tired of everything, the effort, the boredom, the seemingly senselessness of it all. I know my stance is probably common, I don't pretend to be "deep".

But more importantly, thanks for posting some Bukowski. (I hate others reading his work, especially that old guy with the overly breathy, right in your ear voice).

I love his explanation/description of good writing. Perfect.

[u/Withnail-]

Covid 19, racist assholes, political bullshit from all sides influencers, Instagram... god, this is the dumbest era I’ve ever lived in and I was born n the mid 50s..

[u/justfell22]

Be a professional drunk Leave words behind