You felt it as a depth of ease in certain boys, their innate, affable assurance that they would not have to struggle for a place in the world; that is already reserved for them.

Work for most people is really very social, and the actual thinking is often done in community.

When your power comes from others, on approval, you are their slave. Never sacrifice yourselves - never! Whoever urges you to self-sacrifice is worse than a common murderer, who at least cuts your throat himself, without persuading YOU to do it.

Want! You must want something. What do you want?

There's a joy in writing short stories, a wonderful sense of reward when you pull certain things off.

There are writers who do start doing the same thing again and again and almost inevitably fall into self-parody.

I try to help people become the best possible editors of their own work, to help them become conscious of the things they do well, of the things they need to look at again, of the wells of material they have not even begun to dip their buckets into.