Nobody becomes Tom Wolfe overnight, not even Tom Wolfe.

Much of my writing has taken the form of a pilgrimage: to sacred places that represent the best of America, to musicians and other artists who represent the best of their art.

A simple [writing] style is the result of very hard work.

To defend what you've written is a sign that you are alive.

All writers should strive to deliver something fresh-something editors or readers won't know they want until they see it.

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.

Write about small, self-contained incidents that are still vivid in your memory. If you remember them, it's because they contain a larger truth that your readers will recognize in their own lives. Think small and you'll wind up finding the big themes in your family saga.