Haruki Murakami On Why Most Writers Are Posers

[@WriteConscious]

🚀 Want to WRITE better? Join my free writing school: www.skool.com/writeconscious 📚 Book club, daily podcasts, and my writing: writeconscious.substack.com 📖 Read my guide to Haruki Murakami here (free): writeconscious.ck.page/30d93ddf11 Insta: instagram.com/writeconscious 🤔My Favorite Haruki Murakami novel amzn.to/4eyPr14 📕My Best Books of All-Time List: writeconscious.ck.page/355619345e 🔥Want to READ my wife’s fire poetry? Go here: marigoldeclipse.substack.co

[@austinquick6285]

Best piece of advice I’ve seen on your channel by far.. To write your best, is to be yourself, rigorously. And if you are not true to who you are, you will struggle with this.. if you are on the insecure side, or find yourself lying for no apparent reason, or even over exaggerating truths about yourself to others, you have work to do. You are enough as is. There is an almost visible aura that grows around people who are humble and not afraid of being honest, and just being themselves.. this doesn’t mean rebel against norms.. this doesn’t mean to be unique either.. in fact it is quite the opposite.. it’s being okay with being INSIGNIFIGANT.. it’s not feeling the need to be special, nor seeking to be special.. it’s not easy to acquire this mentality, but it’s so much easier living, when you do.. You radiate this Aura.. People see it, and they get inspired, because they see you, and know they are not alone.. when you shed this facade, so do others around you. And it’s wonderful. You become FEARLESS, because you are NAKED. no one around you can tear any facade down that you’ve built, because there is none.. people who protect their ego, live in fear, and it’s no way to live.

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

I have been seriously frustrated with the decline in reading of books in our society, so I was encouraged and enlightened by your saying that books still have the advantage of transforming lives. Very important thing to note.

[@xinth23]

We’re all writers. The main problem is thinking it’s a profession. It’s not. It’s a way of life, whether you’re paid or not. Write daily, like your life depends on it.

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

I have had to learn this the hard way, after finally realising that there is absolutely no point me getting overly dedicated to any other job. I have to write, regardless. I can't concentrate on almost anything else for lengthy periods of time (I was stupidy trying to become hyper-prodyctive doing pointless and boring busy work for other people). I can only really concentrate on reading books and writing books. I've never been paid for any of my fiction writing so far. Still doing it. There is no other way.

[@JIFD]

My dad always told me, 'someone will buy anything...' That's the difference between honest love of creation (no matter the endeavor) v ego (no matter the reason)

[@enas7547]

I was writing this short story and kept wanting to turn it into a novel because my ambition was sort of getting in the way and I wanted other people to like it. I really loved the story so much to the point I noticed that caring what other people think was turning into something I didn't like so I paused and decided to let the story be what I feel it should be whether if that is on a bigger scale or not as long as the writing process was taking me into a state of being that I find pleasure and discovery in.

[@watcherofthewest8597]

Football can be a transformative and selfless experience of your dedication to something larger than yourself. It can be just as powerful as yoga or running or combat sports. It's not the vehicle for change or growth that matters, but how one approaches it and takes in those experiences. Love the channel!

[@Benfry57]

Gotta say it’s admirable for anyone to be committed enough to actually get something done. Period. Maybe some writers are unusually talented, but worrying about being a poser isn’t going to get anyone anywhere. That said, your focus on imagery and language is solid.

[@NoLimitsFunGarage]

I'm very into typewriters, and what I do is as have 4 typewriters on my 2 desk, and would sit and write one page on one, another page on the other, and just have fun, when you do it on a typewriter, it feels like playing a videogame, and every written line is a little exp gained, when you gather enough exp you will have the level to defeat that harder boss(a book), if that doesn't work, I've would've spent a lot of time in the literature videogame, one can always find a new game to play, but typing on typewriters is one of the most entertaining ones.

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

I would love to purchase a typewriter!

[@TrivoMarjanovic]

Trying to get rid of ambition is the most ambitious thing you can do and makes you a poser.

[@ainslie187]

Yea, anyone can get noticed, or have a modicum of career success. The trick is to gain notice and success without diminishing yourself.

[@AJPzaworld]

Issue a lot of people have nowadays is just not being themselves enough. Yeah, people are more willing to be what they think they are, but there’s always this need to hold back their aspects they find “cringe” or “lacking” in their own souls. Ian knows I have a bit of a dislike towards Wallace as a person, but I recognize, respect, and revere his genius because it’s all him. The prose, the syntax, the love for language, the postmodern insanity-it’s all Wallace. Authors nowadays focus a lot of the successful model, the conscription, the element of success rather than just being themselves-and I get it! But it’s not you, it’s the industry mold of what you are to be. So be you: whether it’s being a prick or a bit of nerd, just wear your glorious, glorious heart on your sleeve-because you got a lot of gold in your mind and you need that to shine.

[@croinkix]

I think clarity is different from accuracy. Accuracy is hitting a target, but clarity is a target, previously not visible, emerging along with a better understanding of your relation to said target. One leads to the other.

[@ryang7759]

one of your best Ian. cheers.

[@Iron-Bridge]

Feel fortunate to have this video and your astute advice fall to my attention today.

[@Shmyrk]

16 seconds in and bracing myself to be annihilated

[@ShawnParrotte]

Great reflections on the path of transformation.

[@trullypipel_]

I agree. Releasing the ambition is the hardest. I've been a condition in writings when you're emptying your backpack in a journey, then you'll story will be flow, nude (pure), and more you (inside) reflecting on whats going arround you (world). Like Musashi said, "think light of yourself, think deep to the world". Great content, thank you brother 🙏

[@croinkix]

Everything said around 10:41 would make for a really killer novel

[@TrivoMarjanovic]

Ambition is a part of life. Letting go of it is just as fake as having it. I don't care if it makes me seem like a poser-so be it.

[@SwelihleMvelase-ct8qq]

Why are Americans obsessed with the death of art, the death of the novel, the death of poetry, the death of cinema (goodness me such a young art!). And you say it's dead like it's dead everywhere. Are you seeking something to hate so you can propel yourself towards success? Goodness me at every time in human history there's been good poetry and bad poetry, there's been poetry you'll like and poetry you'll not like. If a book is bad it's bad doesn't mean it's all bad even if the good stuff is a few things - quality over quantity. Goodness me!

[@stephennootens916]

With the movie thing it is largely due to the fact most of thr movies that go to theater are big blockbuster comic book movies and how few people even bother to go to the movie theater.

[@JohnPatrickWeiss]

Ryan Holliday’s book “The Ego Is the Enemy” comes to mind. Our ambition smothers our honest expression. Thanks, this video was enlightening and helpful.

[@DriveupLife22]

What's wrong with writing both commercial fiction and high literary fiction? Does a desire to be successful in the marketplace with something palatable to a group that does not develop higher levels of consciousness preclude the formation of more challenging elevated works? I don't think so, I enjoy both light faire and heavy hitting works. I don't weigh them equally, but they exist.

[@soulaestheta]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this alternative perspective. My writing process is very much a thing where I don’t sit down with an idea about what I want to write but about but, rather, it’s more like a channelling where I’m as surprised as anyone what it’s about. It could be a lemon tree, it could be the wooden spoon I’m making food with, etc. - it often is simple things like this. Therefore, my question is this: I have a lot of ambition I would say but I necessarily fit it around my writing rather than the other way round. In other words, my writing is an absolute because I can’t control what it’s about, therefore, surely ambition is still consistent here because it’s not affecting the honesty/truthfulness of my writing? It’s almost like you’re assuming that everyone approaches writing in the way of sitting down to write about something which, yes, will be corrupted by ambition as it is coming more from the mind but if the method is more like a channelling then it’s coming from a deeper place and therefore will not be as susceptible to corruption.

[@creepingstarfish]

This video is so good.

[@christianvchacon]

Good stuff, Ian. You said it takes you 30 minutes of meditation to focus when you sit down to meditate. How many pages or time of writing on average would you say it takes to get to the real creativity when you sit down to journal?

[@charlottevangotterdammerung]

A lot

[@time8871]

Good points, thanks.

[@stevenbelarde6018]

What do you think of Elmore Leonard's work? Would you recommend his work to enjoy and learn from?

[@AnthonyMetivierMMM]

Beautiful and true.

[@zakwerdegar3754]

Ian, I love you and if we're making a literary renaissance I call Leonardo

[@dadloraed]

I had forgotten the morning pages were supposed to go directly into the trash bin 😂 Thank you !

[@thornalas4385]

Enthusiasm is the Sun force.

[@salustianoberrios405]

Sup, man? I enjoy the videos!

[@Lokeshkumar-wh6vd]

I know I'm a poser , which means I'm most most writers , Didn't know i could be A writer. I am happy.

[@WesternOutpostDonVonFilms]

Books may be competing with all these other mediums, but it can still look at things at a deeper level than anything else.

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

Books definitely examine things at a deeper level than (almost) anything else, which is why I think we should be exceedingly alarmed by the decline in reading among the general population.

[@WesternOutpostDonVonFilms]

@@Musicienne-DAB1995 What do you think can go deeper than a book?

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

@@WesternOutpostDonVonFilms Sometimes films can, sermons, music.

[@Fullbatteri]

Brooo, I’m from México, I love your shirt!

[@Angelicamuscaria]

Writeconscious.com

[@MelancoliaI]

What if I don't want a literary renaissance? What if I actually want to *prevent* a literary renaissance?

[@twynstyck7807]

I don't have a lemon tree

[@tystovall6574]

What is your opinion on C.S. Lewis's 'The Abolition of Man'?

[@WriteConscious]

Love it!

[@personanongrata987]

Now that I'm retired I spend my time pretending to write more Great American Novels. --

[@Quartodovangogh]

What do you think about graphic novels ? I want to make a graphic novel about a guy who destroy his family with drinking, using drugs and beeing a violent guy with his daughter and wife, but at the end, dying under a tree after killed the guy who stoled his wife, and in the process, killed the wife too and being hurted him self, he can meditade about everthing in his life and achieve an ilumination, kind of sidarta. I think this kind of narrative is not much famous in the comic industry

[@Ruskinator_rex]

Ok, but... what exactly then is a poser, in this context? I feel like you didn't explain that at all

[@b0therme]

Umm...unless the artist pretends to have something worthwhile to say to the world, he or she doesn't and we never hear from them. Attempting to slur an artist by calling her or him "pretentious" is like attempting to slur an athlete by calling him or her "fit". Now run along and find something else to whine about; preferably out in traffic.

[@Beekeeper8011]

Who is the girl with the pink hair in the thumbnail?

[@dharmab5461]

Gabbie Hanna

[@allsouls5997]

If you are aware of them they are made to be posers.

[@Shmyrk]

Lao Tzu and Rumi are also poets who speak with the clarity of Truth

[@WesternOutpostDonVonFilms]

Great books can have a very powerful impact. Just look at the impact that the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Communist manifesto still has. Their influence if playing out before our eyes. Also read The Gulag Archipelago, 1984, the Federalist Papers and the Constitution. Words and by extension books can be very, very powerful.

[@katamattyon]

Sally Rooney comes across as a massive poser imo, like she talks about wanting to be seen as a writer more than what she wants her books to comvey

[@santiagocardozo4612]

I'm sorry, but he is not that good of a writer.... I understand the point of this video, but Murakami is rather overrated. He is one of those who pretends to be deep, and convinces others that they are intellectuals only for reading him.

[@croinkix]

Thats how I felt about him for the longest time, but from his interviews I tend to think that he isn't trying to be profound hes just trying to be enjoyable and thoughtful. He lands on alot of sensation that people can't articulate but feel all the time and thats what people find exciting in his work.

[@petercheney8316]

Du mußt dein Leben ändern.