A story is a way to say something that can't be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is. You tell a story because a statement would be inadequate. When anybody asks what a story is about, the only proper thing is to tell them to read the story. The meaning of fiction is not abstract meaning but experienced meaning.

I feel that discussing story-writing in terms of plot, character, and theme is like trying to describe the expression on a face by saying where the eyes, nose, and mouth are.

Art transcends its limitations only by staying within them.

What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.

Your criticism sounds to me as if you have read too many critical books and are too smart in an artificial, destructive, and very limited way.

A working knowledge of the devil can be very well had from resisting him.

One old lady who wants her head lifted wouldn't be so bad, but you multiply her two hundred and fifty thousand times and what you get is a book club.