Every writer knows he is spurious; every fiction writer would rather be credible than authentic.

Wives?" she asked, interrupting him. For a moment, he had assumed she was tuning to the novel. Then he saw her waiting, suspicious eyes, so he replied cautiously, "None active," as if wives were volcanoes.

A good writer is an expert on nothing except himself. And on that subject, if he is wise, he holds his tongue.

Jesus Christ only had twelve, you know, and one of them was a double.

I've never been able to write a book without one very strong character in my rucksack.

Power expands through the distribution of secrecy.

I think that all writers feel alienated. ... I know that I do. ... I still feel, as I think most creative people do, absolutely isolated.