The purpose of the first draft is not to get it right, but to get it written.

Every act of loving affirms the goodness of the lover just because he is capable of loving and being loved.

With each draft, the work gets better, and usually that means tighter. It means getting the precise word, not the approximate word.

I learned to love stories by listening to them.

I was always writing. I just didn't know if I was any good.

Novels are written, not wished into existence. You have to sit your ass in the chair or nothing gets done.

Drug programs began to turn their attention and money away from prevention and into maintenance. Methadone was cheaper than social workers, I suppose.