I'm not sure why working at a homeless shelter made sense to me, except that I needed to immerse myself in some sort of larger real-life situation to get me out of the cage of my mind, in some ways. Nick Flynn cagehomelessimmerse Change image and share on social
The only strategy I know of is to write every day, which I don't always do, because sometimes I just can't, for various reasons that seem out of my control. Nick Flynn controldayreason Change image and share on social
The first book I could call mine, my first book, was a picture book, 'The Magic Monkey' - it was adapted from an old Chinese legend by a thirteen-year-old prodigy named Plato Chan with the help of his sister. Nick Flynn adaptbookcall share on social
I became an electrician after high school. But I always had this thing in me to write. But it was always a little shameful. To say you were a poet was saying you were kind of crazy, and I carried that around for a long time. I still kind of carry that. And I think it might be true, actually. Nick Flynn carrycrazyelectrician share on social
That Dick Cheney is pro-torture surprises no one; he freely admits it. Nick Flynn admitcheneydick Change image and share on social
I get inspired by my friends, and if a friend is a writer, that is even deeper. Nick Flynn deepfriendinspire Change image and share on social
I'd always imagined that one day I would be a father, but mostly it was off my radar. I admired friends who had somehow figured out how to cross that threshold. Nick Flynn admirecrossday Change image and share on social
Here's a secret: Everyone, if they live long enough, will lose their way at some point. You will lose your way; you will wake up one morning and find yourself lost. This is a hard, simple truth. Nick Flynn findhardlive Change image and share on social
That's the thing about a book: You're in the public life for a little bit, and then you sort of go away for a little while - several years, in my case - and then you come out again, hopefully. Nick Flynn bitebookcase Change image and share on social
Certain stories we carry with us, events in our life, they define who we are. It's not a matter of getting over anything; we have to make the best of it. Nick Flynn carrydefineevent Change image and share on social