Cut the crap. Just don't try to be anything that you aren't, have ambition but when it comes to lyrics especially just be honest and write from the heart almost to an awkward degree, at least that's what works for me.

I'm sort of religious, actually. God can be interpreted many ways, I think. If others were more open-minded about what god can be, instead of just calling it god and saying it works this way or that way, we'd all be in a better situation and a better place.

You have to compensate for the luck thing by working as hard as you can and doing the very best you can do.

Don't decide that you're going to be a writer or musician and just expect it to happen because it's a big gamble and a lot less predictable than a conventional job. But you do increase the likelihood of success by working as hard as you can and holding yourself to the highest standard you can muster.

I think life awards you if have your priorities in the right place.

Don't be afraid to put anything on paper because the best art has some element of danger to it and if you hold back then people will kind of be able to tell that you're trying to be something you're not.

In comics, the writer is also the director in a certain way. So if this were a film, you wouldn't tell the cinematographer to make a good fight scene while you go and get a cup of coffee.