“So, You Want to Be a Writer?”
If it doesn’t pour out of you,
regardless of everything,
don’t do it.
Even less so,
if it doesn’t come without asking
out of your heart,
your mind,
your mouth,
your gut,
don’t do it.
If you have to sit for hours
staring at the computer screen,
or hunched over your typewriter
searching for words,
don’t do it.
If you do it for money or fame,
don’t do it.
If you do it because you want women
in your bed,
don’t do it.
If you have to sit there
and write and rewrite,
don’t do it.
If you see it as hard work only when you think about doing it,
don’t do it.
If you try to write
like someone else,
forget it.
If you have to wait for it to roar out of you,
wait patiently.
If it never roars out of you,
do something else.
If you first have to read it
to your wife,
or your girlfriend,
or your boyfriend,
your parents or anyone else,
you’re not ready.
Don’t be like so many other writers,
don’t be like those thousands
who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull, boring, and pretentious,
don’t wither away in self-importance.
The libraries of the world
yawn themselves to sleep
over people like you.
Don’t add yourself to that pile.
Don’t do it.
Especially if it doesn’t come out of your soul like a rocket,
especially if just sitting there
can’t drive you to madness,
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
If the sun inside you
isn’t burning your guts,
don’t do it.
When it’s truly time,
and if you are chosen,
it will happen by itself
and it will keep happening
until you die
or it dies in you.
There is no other way.
There never was.
