It is very hard to trace the effect of words on a life.

Only bad writers think that their work is really good.

Imagine that you are dying. If you had a terminal disease would you ­finish this book? Why not? The thing that annoys this 10-weeks-to-live self is the thing that is wrong with the book. So change it. Stop arguing with yourself. Change it. See? Easy. And no one had to die.

In more static societies, like Ireland, you can tell where a person is from by their surname, or where their grandparents are from.

I think you know everything at eight. But is is hidden from you, sealed up, in a way you have to cut yourself open to find.

I think writers worry that you might not exist in some strange way if you're not writing.

If you can just actually let the character be for a bit, then you get the right sense.