There is only one thing a writer can write about: what is in front of his senses at the moment of writing... I am a recording instrument... I do not presume to impose story plot continuity... Insofar as I succeed in Direct recording of certain areas of psychic process I may have limited function... I am not an entertainer...
In "Naked Lunch," William S. Burroughs expresses his view that a writer's primary focus should be on the immediate sensory experience at the moment of writing. He perceives himself as merely a tool for recording these experiences rather than a storyteller driven by a cohesive plot or traditional narrative structure. Burroughs emphasizes the authenticity of capturing raw feelings and thoughts directly as they occur in the writer's mind.
By describing himself as a "recording instrument," he distances himself from the role of entertainer, highlighting a commitment to exploring the depths of the human psyche rather than crafting linear stories. This perspective challenges conventional storytelling and prioritizes the authenticity of personal experience over structured narrative continuity.
