Writing is a craft not an art.

If writing seems hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things people do.

Few people realize how badly they write. Nobody has shown them how much excess or murkiness has crept into their style.

A writer will do anything to avoid the act of writing.

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

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.

Never hesitate to imitate another writer. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or a craft. Bach and Picasso didn't spring full-blown as Bach or Picasso; they needed models. This is especially true of writing.