I love to read nonfiction and memoir, but I'm mostly interested in the piece of writing more than the person.

There are so many different ways, most of them helpful and legal, to get yourself into a state of mind where writing is possible. It's going to be different for each person.

You may be somebody who writes best for a small press that doesn't pay very well, but you might have a fascinating and intricate style that might not appeal to as many readers but will be incredibly meaningful to the readers you have. Truly, that's as wonderful if not more wonderful.

I find that I get very excited about what my students are up to and that I get to be the hurdle they need to jump over.

Whoever would write books? It's suffering as well as greatly satisfying. And certainly there's suffering in the sense that you don't know for a long time how to do it.

I just like doing it, I like writing.

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