I always had good students.

The education of young people is narrowing. They cannot have the scope they used to have. They are being taught in high school by people earnest, still, but maybe less well-prepared than we would want them to be - but not because they are stupid or churlish.

I know important literary writers who can't get published.

When you are writing a character, what the character says is obviously crucial. But what the character doesn't say is absolutely as important as his words.

My heroes are people like Philip Levine, who is simply like a god to me, as a writer. And he is a very good man, too.

Never use 'submit' as a verb for sending work to magazine or book publishers; say 'offer,' and never, ever submit. Keep your knees unbent. Be brave.

I don't think the world is particularly responsive to - our world, the culture we are in, to art right now.