The landscape of childhood shapes us as it shapes the characters in our stories. You never forget the sacred places of your childhood.

Writing a story, you understand, is not done by consensus. But we do learn from each other, and we remind ourselves how important this work we're doing is.

A pure love is a selfless love, but can desire ever be selfless?

Reading is also a creative activity if you're doing it right. You can learn more from a story that's left the tracks than from a successful story.

It's easier to write about a place sometimes when you've left it, when you can apply your imagination to your memory and let your emotions guide the writing about a place.

I think I've learned to be mindful. I may not have taken the time to try to understand narrative techniques, let's say, with any rigor, if I did not also have to try to explain those techniques to someone else.

I learned to love stories by listening to them.