You can write any time people will leave you alone and not interrupt you. Or rather you can if you will be ruthless enough about it. But the best writing is certainly when you are in love.

Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative.

Though there is one part of writing that is solid and you do it no harm by talking about it, the other is fragile, and if you talk about it, the structure cracks and you have nothing.

If a writer stops observing he is finished. But he does not have to observe consciously nor think how it will be useful. Perhaps that would be true at the beginning. But later everything he sees goes into the great reserve of things he knows or has seen.

Modern life ... is often a mechanical oppression and liquor is the only mechanical relief.

Take a good rest, small bird," he said. "Then go in and take your chance like any man or bird or fish.

Rush, that most exciting perversion of life, the necessity of accomplishing something in less time than should be truly allowed for its doing.