Words of Wisdom from Hunter S. Thompson

July 18 was the birthday of writer Hunter S. Thompson. There were a surprising amount of tribute pieces and mentions of him on that day, among them an item which included a bunch of his quotes. Here are two I thought especially relevant for writers:

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!’

When we type FADE OUT on a script after however many drafts it’s taken us to reach The End, I think we should feel something akin to what Thompson described above:

So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?

Oh, yes. If a person feels the Siren’s creative call, to do anything less than follow it, regardless where it leads, is a tragedy. We have one life. One. To ignore our Bliss is a loss. But to follow it is a gain… of limitless measure.

“Buy the ticket. Take the ride.” That’s not only something Hunter S. Thompson said, it’s the title of a documentary about the writer and progenitor of Gonzo journalism. To see the doc, go here.

For the article featuring a bunch of Thompson quotes about life, go here.

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