Good writing ... involves the agony of turning profoundly difficult thoughts into lucid form, then forcing them into the tight-fitting uniform of language, making them visible and clear.

I've never cackled with laughter at a single line I've ever written. None of it has given me pleasure.

The only way I could endure being a coward was if I was the only one who knew it.

It's impossible to explain to a Yankee what `tacky' is. They simply have no word for it up north, but my God, do they ever need one.

Here is all I ask of a book- give me everything. Everything, and don't leave out a single word.

Some things don’t mix. Some things don’t mix at all, but sometimes in life you have to take the risk.

I realized early that unless you're willing to kill the innocent, you can't win.