I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy.

It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does.

Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue... I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated" and had to stop reading and go to the dictionary.

I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write.

Never use the words 'suddenly' or 'all hell broke loose.'

Don't go into great detail describing places and things, unless you're ­Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language. You don't want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.

A man can be in two different places and he will be two different men. Maybe if you think of more places he will be more men, but two is enough for now.