What I couldn't help noticing was that I learned more about the novel in a morning by trying to write a page of one than I'd learned in seven years or so of trying to write criticism

When he'd sworn at her and been sworn at in return, they became great friends.

This is the value for me of writing books that children read. Children aren't interested in your appalling self-consciousness. They want to know what happens next. They force you to tell a story.

When it comes to telling children stories, they don’t need simple language. They need beautiful language.

You speak of destiny as if it was fixed.

If a witch needs something, another witch will give it to her. If there is war to be fought, we don't consider cost one of the factors in deciding whether or not it is right to fight. Nor do we have any notion of honor. An insult to a bear is a deadly thing. To us...inconceivable. How could you insult a witch? What would it matter if you did?

What I do say is that I can write verse, and that the writing of verse in strict form is the best possible training for writing good prose