In most good stories, it is the character's personality that creates the action of the story. If you start with real personality, a real character, then something is bound to happen.

It began to drizzle rain and he turned on the windshield wipers; they made a great clatter like two idiots clapping in church.

Satisfy your demand for reason but always remember that charity is beyond reason, and God can be known through charity.

He and the girl had almost nothing to say to each other. One thing he did say was, 'I ain't got any tattoo on my back.' 'What you got on it?' the girl said. 'My shirt,' Parker said. 'Haw.' 'Haw, haw,' the girl said politely.

The old woman was the kind who would not cut down a large old tree because it was a large old tree.

I use the grotesque the way I do because people are deaf and dumb and need help to see and hear.

Every morning between 9 and 12 I go to my room and sit before a piece of paper. Many times, I just sit for three hours with no ideas coming to me. But I know one thing. If an idea does come between 9 and 12 I am there ready for it.