These days, it seems that if you're not already in place, you can't get there from here.

It all depends on which side of the desk you're sitting on.

If a story isn't working, I'm simply unable to finish it. That's what usually tells me something is wrong.

The villain is always more entertaining because he has fewer limitations. The hero is bound by honor, by justice and by the law, sometimes.

Lord of the Rings, I think, is far and away the most brilliantly done stuff.

What makes a story is how well it manages to connect with the reader, the visceral effect it has.

A writer writes. Period. No matter if someone is buying your work or not.