I was giving up--being realistic, as people liked to say, meaning the same thing. Being realistic made me feel bitter.

We are made to persist. that's how we find out who we are.

There’s no right way to tell all stories, only the right way to tell a particular story.

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

One of the last courses I taught was on the Russian short story, which I love.

I love Chekhov. I could go on all day about him.

You don't teach information in a writing workshop.