A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters.

My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.

Bad guys are not bad guys twenty-four hours a day.

I'm very much aware in the writing of dialogue, or even in the narrative too, of a rhythm. There has to be a rhythm with it … Interviewers have said, you like jazz, don’t you? Because we can hear it in your writing. And I thought that was a compliment.

I do have fun writing, and a long time ago, I told myself, 'You got to have fun at this, or it'll drive you nuts.'

I started out of course with Hemingway when I learned how to write. Until I realized Hemingway doesn't have a sense of humor. He never has anything funny in his stories.

I try to leave out the parts readers skip.