Minimalism seems closest to the sophisticated storytelling of movies. Movies have really educated contemporary audiences to be the most intelligent, sophisticated audiences in history. We don't any longer need to have the relationship between one scene and the next explained. We will figure it out ourselves.

A short story is something that you can hold in your mind. You can really analyze how the entire thing works, like a machine

Nothing shows you the straight line from here to death like a list.

You hear the best stories from ordinary people. That sense of immediacy is more real to me than a lot of writerly, literary-type crafted stories. I want that immediacy when I read a novel.

The world can be a lot bet­ter than we set­tle for. All you have to do is ask.

The weather today is partly angry, leading to resignation and ultimatums.

The same way a compact disk isn't responsible for what's recorded on it, that's how we are. You're about as free to act as a programmed computer. You're about as one-of-a-kind as a dollar bill.