Develop your pawns or Hulk will smash.

I keep one simple rule that I only move in one direction - I write the book straight through from beginning to end. By following time's arrow I keep myself sane.

Fantastic writing in English is kind of disreputable, but fantastic writing in translation is the summit.

Writing is physical for me. I always have the sense that the words are coming out of my body, not just my mind.

I don't know why the world has changed so much that writers are now expected to appear in public and talk about their work. It's something I find very difficult. And yet, one does have some sense of responsibility towards one's publishers, to the people trying to sell the book.

With a book you can read the same paragraph four times. You can go back to page 21 when you're on page 300. You can't do that with film. It just charges ahead.

I prefer old books and find them more relevant. I dislike new books. It's like drinking wine that's not ready.