Writers often torture themselves trying to get the words right. Sometimes you must lower your expectations and just finish it.

It’s hard to land a devastating jab/cross/hook/uppercut combo to your reader’s imagination when you’re telegraphing your punches.

Love it when a compelling new character kicks open your mental door, tracks mud across your brain, and props their feet up on your cerebrum.

Regarding the creative: never assume you're the master, only the student. Your audience will determine if you're masterful.

If you treat your characters like people, they'll reward you by being fully developed individuals.

But people in a small town tend to do a lot of talking, even when they don’t know what they’re talking about.

It's my belief that people enter your life at exactly the right time.