That's the harm of Close Encounters: that it convinces tens of millions that that's what just science fiction is.

The vast majority, who believe in astrology and think that the planets have nothing better to do than form a code that will tell them whether tomorrow is a good day to close a business deal or not, become all the more excited and enthusiastic.

Never judge your own writing. You're not fit to do so.

I made up my mind long ago to follow one cardinal rule in all my writing — to be clear.

Until now in world's history, whenever we've had a dark age, its been temporary and local. And other parts of the world have been doing fine. And eventually, they help you get out of the dark age. We are now facing a possible dark age which is going to be world-wide and permanent! That's not fun. That's a different thing. But once we have established many worlds, we can do whatever we want as long as we do it one world at a time.

Working ten hour days allows you to fall behind twice as fast as you could working five hour days.

If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.