Another time factor is output: proofing and printing. That is, getting your work out of the computer and onto paper and having it satisfy you. It can be time consuming and expensive.

I'm trying to entice people, and sometimes my information is very hard hitting. So I've always wanted to have a soft approach.

Some of my songs are like dreams, and when you go to sleep at night you don't know if you're gonna have a dream or what you're gonna dream about.

There is an exercise I teach at colleges: Get yourself a canvas and a bunch of acrylics and go into a very dimly lighted room. Dip a brush into one of the colors, slap it on the canvas, don't look, close your eyes, make a painting, don't look, turn the lights on and see what you've got. I think this releases people from the editor in their life that's always standing over their shoulder saying, "Oh, you don't have any talent; who do you think you are?"

All the lights on Broadway don't amount to an acre of green.

All kids, I think, are creative, but they get it pounded out of them in school.

I really work hard to shape the song so that it's attractive... You don't want to give people the information in an enema.