I realized I was never going to have any peace with myself unless I made an honest stab at trying to write.
Ben FountainI got brilliant stories from people who'd never set foot in an MFA program and had published very little, and terrible stories from people who'd published a lot and had all the credentials. It was all over the map and that was part of the fun.
Ben FountainI think if you spend much time dwelling on influence you can get self-conscious about every line you write. That's a great way to freeze up.
Ben Fountain