I just finished reading “The NY Tyrant Guide to not Being A Horrible Writer in the Year 2010” over at Vice.  Aside from the photo of my buddy Nick Gazin taking a tinkle, and the dozens of anonymous comments, here were the other things about this list that I especially liked.

1.  So I could be pulling this out of my ass, but I am going to guess the advice that “you are neither David Lynch nor Captain Beefheart. You might be Cher”, is straight from Butler.  Why?  Because the guy seems to be on a Beefheart kick as of late.

2. “If you have to write about drugs, don’t write about pot. Candy is more interesting than pot is. Knives are almost always cool.”

After reading that advice, I read Jacket Copy’s list of best weed books.  Felt dirty.

3. “The word “lovers” always fails on some level. “

It’s a disgusting term alongside “panties” and “moist”.

4. “Do not open up your story with Bob Seger or John Mellencamp lyrics. Stephen King did that shit to me once when I was small and I’m still recovering.”

I agree with 98% of this one, but I feel the lyrics to The Bob Seger Systems “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” are pure poetry, and could be a great lead-in.