advice for writers (Alan Watts)

'Advice? I don't have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you're writing, you're a writer. Write like you're a goddam death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there's no chance of a pardon. Write like you're clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, and you've got just one last thing to say, like you're a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God's sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we're not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don't. Who knows, maybe you're one of the lucky ones who don't have to.'

~ Alan Watts (I can't remember who pointed me towards this quote; whoever you were, thank you)