Let the writer take up surgery or bricklaying if he is interested in technique. There is no mechanical way to get the writing done, no shortcut. The young writer would be a fool to follow a theory. Teach yourself by your own mistakes; people learn only by error. The good artist believes that nobody is good enough to give him advice. He has supreme vanity. No matter how much he admires the old writer, he wants to beat him.

For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863...

The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.

Women do have an affinity for evil, for believing that no woman is to be trusted, but that some men are too innocent to protect themselves.

It's always the idle habits you acquire which you will regret.

It's all now you see: tomorrow began yesterday and yesterday won't be over until tomorrow.

If you could just ravel out into time. That would be nice. It would be nice if you could just ravel out into time