The writers job is like solving a puzzle, and finally arriving at a solution is a tremendous satisfaction.

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

Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things that people do

Rewriting is the essence of writing well - where the game is won or lost.

Ultimately the product that any writer has to sell is not the subject being written about, but who he or she is.

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

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.