Censorship is all around us, I don't think it's innate.

I don't really like to tell people to get out drugs.

Being part of a community of writers is huge. I really think that's why people go to MFA programs.

There is a lot of censorship about writing that's exerted from all directions, from families or governments and society, even the fear of being offensive in some way.

I think the difference between writing as someone and writing for them is that when you write for someone, you take on a kind of political burden or message, which I don't think we have the right to do.

I don't think a white person can write accurately and convincingly about what black people experience of oppression.

We're always inventing, even if we're making someone who's fairly close to ourselves.