--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a writer is swayed with his fame and…" description: "\"When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you can float him down the river with the turds.\" — Charles Bukowski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg" --- # When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you… ![“When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you can float him down the river with the turds.” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg) > “When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you can float him down the river with the turds.” [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. Fame and wealth can corrupt a writer, making him vulnerable to ridicule and downfall. **In simple terms:** Fame corrupts writers. Key Takeaway Stay humble despite success. Themes humility corruption pride Mood cynical reflective Type satirical critical When to use this quote - celebrity culture - publishing industry - personal reputation Key Concepts literary satire social critique Questions to Reflect On - How does success change your self‑perception? - What safeguards keep you grounded? A Different Perspective Even famous writers can be humbled by their own excesses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Gotta love whitewater rafting. Ten of us are going. Eight will come back. Dont forget to wear your toe tag. Sometimes the bodies dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/gotta-love-whitewater-rafting-ten-of-us-are-going-eight-will-come/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Most of us float with the river and there are a few people who move the river. Robert DeNiro is definitely one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/most-of-us-float-with-the-river-and-there-are-a-few-people-who-move/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [“Even a dead fish can float down a river … To truly live, we must have a direction toward which we swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/even-a-dead-fish-can-float-down-a-river-to-truly-live-we-must-have-a/) RVM > [“Sometimes I float along the river For its surface I am bound And there are times stones done fill my pockets And it's into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/sometimes-i-float-along-the-river-for-its-surface-i-am-bound-and/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [..few writers like other writers' works. The only time they like them is when they are dead or if they have been for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/few-writers-like-other-writers-works-the-only-time-they-like-them-is/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [The worst thing for a writer is to know another writer, and worse than that, to know a number of other writers. Like flies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-worst-thing-for-a-writer-is-to-know-another-writer-and-worse-than/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Don't ever write a novel unless it hurts like a hot turd coming out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/don-t-ever-write-a-novel-unless-it-hurts-like-a-hot-turd-coming-out/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Shit just got real like Pinocchio turds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/childish-gambino/shit-just-got-real-like-pinocchio-turds/) [Childish Gambino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/childish-gambino/) > [that's as nutty as squirrel turds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-as-nutty-as-squirrel-turds/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you have troll turds in your ears?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenks/do-you-have-troll-turds-in-your-ears/) Jenks > [The trouble with most coaches is that they start with the assumption that everybody is a turd. And that ain't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/the-trouble-with-most-coaches-is-that-they-start-with-the-assumption/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I live in a 9 million dollar turd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-live-in-a-9-million-dollar-turd/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [I like to think of myself as a regular guy, except I play football for a living. I try not to be an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-urlacher/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-regular-guy-except-i-play-football-for/) [Brian Urlacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-urlacher/) > [I grew up having to piss in a bucket ’cos there was no indoor shitter, and now I have these computerised Japanese super-loo things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-grew-up-having-to-piss-in-a-bucket-cos-there-was-no-indoor-shitter/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/the-thing-that-bothers-me-the-most-is-the-recklessness-and-greed-of/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) ## 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 Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you can float him down the river with the turds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-and-his-fortune-you-can-float/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-and-his-fortune-you-can-float/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/charles-bukowski-73_fame_when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-an_3085356.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a writer is swayed with his fame and his fortune, you can float him down the river with the turds.” — 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": "When a writer is swayed with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-and-his-fortune-you-can-float/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/when-a-writer-is-swayed-with-his-fame-and-his-fortune-you-can-float/#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 } } ] } ```