A cliche is like a coin that has been handled too much. Once language has been overly handled, it no longer leaves a clear imprint.

Love could never bloom in a concrete block room.

What is a scene? a) A scene starts and ends in one place at one time (the Aristotelian unities of time and place-this stuff goes waaaayyyy back). b) A scene starts in one place emotionally and ends in another place emotionally. Starts angry, ends embarrassed. Starts lovestruck, ends disgusted. c) Something happens in a scene, whereby the character cannot go back to the way things were before. Make sure to finish a scene before you go on to the next. Make something happen.

What was the point in such loneliness among people. At least if you were by yourself, you had a good reason to be lonely.

I'm incredibly restless. I read a lot of poetry. I also find myself reading the first 20 pages of everything, looking for something. And you know what? I'm usually looking for the book I'm writing. And it's not out there!

Once you get below the floor of our personal identities, we're all connected. Perhaps that's why we can move into others' lives.

My hatred gives me strength.