There are characters in some short stories who exist as people, and there are other characters in different short stories who exist as purely literary constructs. You know, the young man in "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire" - I probably got that right - is a literary construct, and enjoys being a literary construct. He has no life off stage, whereas the young men in "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" were as near to being real human beings as I could possibly get them.
Neil GaimanHe couldnโt see why people made such a fuss about people eating their silly old fruit anyway, but life would be a lot less fun if they didnโt. And there was never an apple, in Adamโs opinion, that wasnโt worth the trouble you got into for eating it.
Neil GaimanAmy: This time can we... lose the bunk beds? The Doctor: No Bunk beds are cool, a bed with a ladder, you can't beat that!
Neil GaimanThe main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, youโre allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But itโs definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. Iโm not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.
Neil GaimanYou can't just boss bacteria around like that," said the younger Mrs. Hempstock. "They don't like it." "Stuff and silliness," said the old lady. "You leave wigglers alone and they'll be carrying on like anything. Show them who's boss and they can't do enough for you. You've tasted my cheese.
Neil Gaiman