First, there must be talent. . .Then there must be discipline. . .Then there must be. . .and absolute conscience. . .to prevent faking.

I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils at one time. Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day's work.

It's harder to write in the third person but the advantage is you move around better.

All bad writers are in love with the epic.

The great thing is to last and get your work done and see and hear and learn and understand; and write when there is something that you know; and not before, and not too damned much after.

Mr. Barnes, it is because I have lived very much that now I can enjoy everything so well

Some writers are only born to help another writer write one sentence.