A writer must say yes to life.

That's very nice if they want to publish you, but don't pay too much attention to it. It will toss you away. Just continue to write.

I don't know anything but writing practice, and so what I really do is direct that energy as if it were flowing down a river.

So even though I couldn't bear writing about cancer, I faced it every day.

The difference between neurosis and wisdom is struggle.

It used to be with chocolate. I would put chocolate in my studio and say, "You know, Nat, there's this chocolate you can have if you get over there." And usually if I got over there, I would start writing. Sometimes I need get out of the house and go to a café and write. Sometimes I'll write with other friends to get myself going. And sometimes I just say "Ok, Nat, enough. Go one hour. Keep your hand going." I'll do whatever it takes.

You'll lose your reader if you are vague, not clear, and not present. We love details, personal connections, stories.