Probably every subject is interesting if an avenue into it can be found that has humanity and that an ordinary person can follow.

Writers must constantly ask: what I am trying to say? Surprisingly often, they don't know.

Don't try to guess what sort of thing editors want to publish or what you think the country is in a mood to read. Editors and readers don't know what they want to read until they read it. Besides, they're always looking for something new.

Fighting clutter is like fighting weeds-the writer is always slightly behind.

Eloquence invites us to bring some part of ourselves to the transaction.

Believe in your own identity and your own opinions. Proceed with confidence, generating it, if necessary, by pure willpower. Writing is an act of ego and you might as well admit it. Use its energy to keep yourself going.

One of the saddest sentences I know is "I wish I had asked my mother about that." Or my father. Or my grandmother. Or my grandfather. As every parent knows, our children are not as fascinated by our fascinating lives as we are.