He lived and wrote unapologetically
Charles Bukowski
Bukowski wrote his first short stories at 13 and became a full-time writer at 49!
Charles Bukowski, born Heinrich Karl Bukowski on August 16, 1920, in Andernach, Prussia (now Germany), was a prolific American poet, novelist, and short story writer known for his raw, gritty, and candid depiction of life.
His work, heavily influenced by the social, cultural, and economic ambience of his adopted city of Los Angeles, often featured the lives of poor Americans, the act of writing, alcohol, relationships with women, and the struggle of work.
The emphasis on the everyday lives of poor Americans, writing itself, alcohol, relationships with women, and work struggle is a defining characteristic of Bukowski's writing. Despite receiving little attention from academic critics in the United States during his lifetime, Bukowski's appeal has grown posthumously, particularly in Europe.
I can't relate to much of Bukowski's debauchery lifestyle, but I love his raw poems and writings.
He began to write to escape the trauma and beatings from his father, who, following the Great Depression, took all of his rage out on him. As an adult, he continued to write and descended into alcoholism as a result of life's beatings.
An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.
Hustler and part-time writer
Charles Bukowski struggled to find steady employment and worked various blue-collar jobs.
Bukowski worked various menial and manual jobs, including as a fill-in mail carrier for the US Postal Service. These jobs often involved long hours and little pay and needed to be more conducive to his creative aspirations. He spent most of his money on printing manuscripts and stamps to send his work to publishers but faced repeated rejections and became disillusioned with the publishing industry. For almost ten years, he wrote little to nothing.
His daily life during this period was a far cry from the freedom he would later enjoy as a full-time writer. Bukowski's work life was characterised by the drudgery and monotony of the 9-to-5 routine, which he later vehemently criticised. He described the despair of working in jobs that made money for someone else and the lack of freedom that came with such employment.
It wasn't until a near-death experience due to a bleeding ulcer that Bukowski began to write poetry seriously. This event seemed to reignite his passion for writing, and he started to submit his work to small magazines, eventually leading to his recognition by John Martin of Black Sparrow Press.
Bukowski, as a full-time writer
Charles Bukowski became a professional writer in 1969, at the age of 49, when he accepted an offer from John Martin, the founder of Black Sparrow Press.
Martin, who believed Bukowski to be "the new Walt Whitman," offered to pay him $100 every month for the rest of his life on the condition that Bukowski would quit his job at the post office and dedicate himself to writing full-time.
Martin's offer of a monthly stipend allowed Bukowski to finally quit his post office job and dedicate himself to writing full-time, which he did until his death.
Charles Bukowski's daily life, particularly after he became a full-time writer, was unconventional and centred around his writing routine. He was known for his late-night writing sessions and love for the racetrack.
He would not type in the morning and did not like to get up in the morning, preferring to stay in bed until noon. If he had to get up earlier, it affected his mood for the entire day. Bukowski described his daily routine as follows:
After getting up at noon, he ate something and headed to the racetrack to bet on horses.
Upon returning, he would have a meal and drinks with his partner Linda, and then he would go upstairs with a couple of bottles of alcohol to begin his writing session.
His writing would start around 9:30 PM and continue until 1:30 to 2:30 AM.
His approach to writing was that it should be enjoyable and freeing, a sentiment he expressed by comparing it to rolling down a mountain. He found the writing process a gift and enjoyed it because he was paid for doing what he loved.
A few lessons from his life
Bukowski's life and work teach the importance of embracing authenticity and individuality. He lived and wrote unapologetically, often drawing from his own experiences with a brutal honesty that resonated with many. His lesson is to be true to oneself, regardless of societal expectations or norms.
Bukowski's personal history of overcoming adversity, including a tumultuous childhood, poverty, and battles with alcoholism, underscores the theme of resilience that permeates his work. Despite these challenges, he pursued his passion for writing with relentless determination. This resilience is vividly portrayed in his encouragement to laugh at the odds and live so well that death trembles to take you.
Bukowski often highlighted the value of solitude for personal growth and creativity. He viewed solitude not as a sign of weakness but as essential to his well-being and creative process. Bukowski thrived on solitude, suggesting that it was as vital to him as food or water, and his work encourages us to find strength and inspiration in our moments of solitude.
As a writer, I like his advice to writers in "Don't try," It shows his approach to writing as a natural, unforced process, suggesting that he may have found value in all his work, regardless of personal preference.
If you fancy diving into his poems more, here
Here are a few of his quotes :
How the hell could a person enjoy being awakened at 6:30AM, by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, shit, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must live.
Beware of those who seek constant crowds; they are nothing alone.
We drink our coffee and pretend not to look at each other.
It was best to stay away from other writers and just do your work…
She knew what she wanted and it wasn’t me.
I am going to die alone just the way I live.
There is loneliness in this world so great that you can see it in the slow movement of a clock’s hand.
Death comes slowly like ants to a fallen fig.
When things get bad enough, the kitten will kill the lion.