But there it is: Everyone is alone, for life, and maybe that's not such a bad thing.

I don't know when I'm writing dark. I don't know when I'm writing funny or even heartbreaking. I'm always just trying to write it true.

I didn't start writing so that I could more deeply know myself. I was bored of myself, my life, my childhood, my hometown. I started writing as a way to know others, to get away from myself.

The basic rule of storytelling is 'show, don't tell.

You learn to exploit genre for the more important things - to my mind - like story, character, image, language.

Weakness, like not being able to bury the past. Weakness, like not giving up hope when you know you should.

Don't shame the young for releasing their pent-up fear.