Great, big, serious novels always get awards. If it's a battle between a great, big, serious novel and a funny novel, the funny novel is doomed.
Neil GaimanStories are in one way or another mirrors. We use them to explain to ourselves how the world works or how it doesnโt work. Like mirrors stories prepare us for the day to come. They distract us from the things in darkness.
Neil GaimanWhen I was a kid and a young man I read everything. When I was about 23, I was incredibly lucky in that I wound up with several book review columns, which meant that I had to read huge amounts of stuff that was outside my experience and outside my comfort zone. I think every young writer should be forced to read the kind of stuff they would not normally read for pleasure.
Neil Gaiman