Charles Bukowski On Creativity And Distinctness

A lesson on writing from the world’s most distinctive poet.

So you want to be a writer?

There are countless amount of people who are aspiring writers, but unfortunately not everyone can fulfill this dream due to various reasons. Maybe they are doing it for the wrong reasons, who knows.

The German-American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski says, you can’t do it for money or fame because these motivations are superficial and the impulse lays deeper. In his poem, he calls out to those at the beginning of the art path in a sincere and pessimistic way:

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.

…

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.

These words may sound too harsh to many of us, but if it is said by a poet who believes that art is fed by creativity or pain and suffering, then it’s worth thinking a little deeper on it. Perhaps because Bukowski believes in it and is trying to motivate young writers by defying them.

His autobiographical novels and short stories cover mostly controversial topics such as, drinking, sex, gambling and the absurdities of life. Many people describe his writing as bold, offensive and misogynistic, others find it distinctive and hilarious.

Despite experiencing a difficult childhood, alcohol abuse and a few layers of insecurity throughout his life, he managed to become a worldwide successful writer. These are some of the qualities that helped him succeed:

Authenticity

What we can learn from him is that to be successful in writing, being authentic is more important than trying to mould yourself according to external expectations. His authenticity and self awareness evidently rewarded him. He had a different way of life than the rest of the society, he knew that and embraced it in most of his writing. Although being authentic is not the only way to stand out from the ‘crowd’, Bukowski does teach us a valuable lesson on this matter, and it’s one of the vital ways to be noticed as a writer.

Simplicity

Another important skill in writing is using simple language that can be understood by everyone. As Charles said:

Simplicity is always the secret to a profound truth, to doing things, to writing, to painting. Life is profound in it’s simplicity.

Charles Bukowski has always used plain language in his writing, and that's what probably hooked his readers. Clear and concise words should always be chosen instead of complex ones, it avoids ambiguity and is suitable for everyone.

Focusing on oneself

Partly compatible with authenticity, the way to stand out in this noisy world is to focus on yourself and what you like writing about. For example, if you are not an expert on entrepreneurship and startups, then don’t write about it because it will be obvious that you are forcing it. Charles had a crappy life, that's all he knew and wrote about it. Personal experiences, successes, failures, lessons, and expertise on a subject is definitely more appealing to the reader as it is unique to yourself and the quality would be seen through that.

To sum up, Charles Bukowski may not be the most influential poet or writer but he is definitely one of the most distinct writer of the 20th Century. He encourages people to be authentic and extraordinary. ‘To remember who you are before the world told you who to be’.