--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was the trouble with being a writer…" description: "\"That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time. You had to wait around for the buildup until ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg" --- # That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the… ![“That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time. You had to wait around for the buildup until you could write and while you were waiting you went crazy, and while you were going crazy you drank and the more you drank the crazier you got.” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg) > “That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time. You had to wait around for the buildup until you could write and while you were waiting you went crazy, and while you were going crazy you drank and the more you drank the crazier you got.” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writer’s leisure can become a trap, leading to stagnation and self‑destructive habits. **In simple terms:** Too much free time can ruin creativity. Key Takeaway Balance work and rest. Themes creativity addiction discipline Mood candid humorous Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - writing process - artist’s block - mental health - substance abuse Key Concepts self‑sabotage routine disruption Questions to Reflect On - What routines keep you productive? - How do you channel idle time constructively? A Different Perspective Not all leisure is harmful; moderation matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) [Drank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drank/) [Drank Crazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drank-crazier-5133764/) [Excessive Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excessive-leisure-5133765/) [Going crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-crazy/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Leisure time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Trouble Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-leisure-5133763/) [Trouble Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-writer-2296453/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Awful? They don't find it so. On the contrary, they like it. It's light, it's childishly simple. No strain on the mind or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huxley-aldous/awful-they-don-t-find-it-so-on-the-contrary-they-like-it-it-s-light/) [Huxley, Aldous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huxley-aldous/) > [“I intend all my characters must escape from impossible situations; if they are not in trouble, then as a writer, I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-w-gibson/i-intend-all-my-characters-must-escape-from-impossible-situations-if/) [Cleveland W. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-w-gibson/) > [The beachcomber goes looking for trouble, everything he finds is a sign of trouble. The writer is the same; without trouble he has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/the-beachcomber-goes-looking-for-trouble-everything-he-finds-is-a/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [I haven’t had trouble with writer’s block. I think it’s because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my-2/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I don't think I ever have trouble with writer's block. It's different when you make it up as you go - that means you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/i-don-t-think-i-ever-have-trouble-with-writer-s-block-it-s-different/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“I'm sorry," I said. "It's none of my business what you do. The trouble is, I'm a writer, and most writers are terrible nosey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/i-m-sorry-i-said-it-s-none-of-my-business-what-you-do-the-trouble-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [This is very important -- to take leisure time. Pace is the essence. Without stopping entirely and doing nothing at all for great periods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/this-is-very-important-to-take-leisure-time-pace-is-the-essence/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [The real problem of leisure time is how to keep others from using yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lacey/the-real-problem-of-leisure-time-is-how-to-keep-others-from-using/) [Arthur Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lacey/) > [“Many other inhabitants of the city were similarly afflicted. Every day, more and more people took to saving time, and the more they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende-momo/many-other-inhabitants-of-the-city-were-similarly-afflicted-every-day/) [Michael Ende, Momo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende-momo/) > [14 ways Traditional Marketing fails where Social Media thrives What traditional marketing failed to achieve in the past is being organically achieved in Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hania-whitfield/14-ways-traditional-marketing-fails-where-social-media-thrives-what/) [Hania Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hania-whitfield/) > [We should abolish 'work.' By that I mean abolishing the distinction between work and leisure, one of the greatest mistakes of the last century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/we-should-abolish-work-by-that-i-mean-abolishing-the-distinction/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [“But it is not glorious lulls that concern me. It is the lulls that have no velocity, that offer no structured reassurance, that bloom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyo-maclear/but-it-is-not-glorious-lulls-that-concern-me-it-is-the-lulls-that/) [Kyo Maclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyo-maclear/) > [Nobody can live in society without conventions. The reason why sensible people are as conventional as they can bear to be is that conventionality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/nobody-can-live-in-society-without-conventions-the-reason-why/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Leisure time is that five or six hours when you sleep at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-allen-sr/leisure-time-is-that-five-or-six-hours-when-you-sleep-at-night/) [George Allen, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-allen-sr/) ## More by Charles Bukowski > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. A writer who has to go into the streets is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-is-only-one-place-to-write-and-that-is-alone-at-a-typewriter-a/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“nerves twitching in the sheets -- to face the sunlight again, that's clearly trouble. I like the city better when the neon lights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nerves-twitching-in-the-sheets-to-face-the-sunlight-again-that-s/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I climbed the stairway (there was no elevator) and put the key in. The door swung open. Somebody had changed all the furniture around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-climbed-the-stairway-there-was-no-elevator-and-put-the-key-in-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Crazy quotes > [Im wild Im crazy, I'm wild, Im crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-dot-curve/im-wild-im-crazy-i-m-wild-im-crazy/) [Dot Dot Curve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dot-dot-curve/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) [Browse all 9,039 Crazy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time. You had to wait around for the buildup until you could write and while you were waiting you went crazy, and while you were going crazy you drank and the more you drank the crazier you got.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer-that-was-the-main-trouble/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crazy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer-that-was-the-main-trouble/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/charles-bukowski-73_crazy_that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer_3060900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That was the trouble with being a writer, that was the main trouble—leisure time, excessive leisure time…” — Charles Bukowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Bukowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That was the trouble with being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer-that-was-the-main-trouble/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/that-was-the-trouble-with-being-a-writer-that-was-the-main-trouble/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```