I long for the simplicity of theatre. I want lessons learned, comeuppances delivered, people sorted out, all before your bladder gets distractingly full. That's what I want. What I know is what we all know, whether we'll admit it or not: every attempt to impose the roundness of a well-made play on reality produces a disaster. Life just isn't so, nor will it be made so.

There are readers who want every point to be clearly and unambiguously set forth, and there are those who want to pry ideas and meanings out for themselves.

Observe, don't imitate.

Creating the fictional background for a game world isn't significantly different from creating a background for fiction.

The language fictional characters use is chosen for effect, at least if the author is concentrating.

At one point I intended to write precursor and sequel novels, about the establishment of the Web and its next evolution, but I am very unlikely to now; they would take place in a different universe.

We're all living on borrowed time. The trick is to come up with works of sufficient interest to pay off the debt.