To be immortal is commonplace; except for man, all creatures are immortal, for they are ignorant of death; what is divine, terrible, incomprehensible, is to know that one is immortal.

If a writer disbelieves what he is writing, then he can hardly expect his reader to believe it.

In adultery, there is usually tenderness and self-sacrifice; in murder, courage; in profanation and blasphemy, a certain satanic splendour. Judas elected those offences unvisited by any virtues: abuse of confidence and informing.

The two important facts I should say, are emotion, and then words arising from emotion. I don't think you can write in an emotionless way. If you attempt it, the result is artificial. I don't like that kind of writing. I think that if a poem is really great, you should think of it as having written itself despite the author. It should flow.

Unlike the novel, a short story may be, for all purposes, essential.

That is what always happens: we never know whether we are victors or whether we are defeated.

I never reread what I've written. I'm far too afraid to feel ashamed of what I've done.