Fiction has to be plausible. All history has to do is happen.

People you don't like are pigheaded. Your friends are stubborn, or hold to their purpose.

Many things are possible. Few things are certain.

You count snouts,” Straha said. “Whichever side can persuade most snouts to join it prevails. It does not have to be clever. It does not have to be wise. It only needs to be popular.

I learned by reading an awful lot and by writing a half a million words of stuff nobody would do anything with except wrap old fish.

...Do you see things in black and white, or are there shades of gray for you?" "I hope there's gray...Black and white make things easier, but only if you don't want to think.

Fiction has to be plausible. All history has to do is happen.