We are always afraid to start something that we want to make very good, true, and serious.

Families are great murderers of the creative impulsive, particularly husbands.

We should all know this: that listening, not talking, is the gifted and great role, and the imaginative role.

Sometimes I think of life as a process where everybody is discouraging and taking everybody else down a peg or two.

It is so conceited and timid to be ashamed of one's mistakes. Of course they are mistakes. Go on to the next.

I found that many gifted people are so afraid of writing a poor story that they cannot summon the nerve to write a single sentence for months. The thing to say to such people is: "See how *bad* a story you can write. See how dull you can be. Go ahead. That would be fun and interesting. I will give you ten dollars if you can write something thoroughly dull from beginning to end!" And of course, no one can.

All children have creative power.