A truly living human being cannot remain neutral.

In a certain sense a writer is 'selected' by his subject - his subject being the consciousness of his own era.

I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.

in writing, sex doesn't matter; it's the writing that matters.

Written words still have the amazing power to bring out the best and worst of human nature

a writer doesn't only need the time when he's actually writing - he or she has got to have time to think and time just to let things work out. Nothing is worse for this than society. Nothing is worse for this than the abrasive, if enjoyable, effect of other people.

Certainly the people who are close to me are happier. They feel freer.