English, as a subject, never really got over its upstart nature. It tries to bulk itself up with hopeless jargon and specious complexity, tries to imitate subjects it can never be.
Zadie SmithDonโt romanticise your โvocationโ. You can either write good sentences or you canโt. There is no โwriterโs lifestyleโ. All that matters is what you leave on the page.
Zadie SmithIt's a funny thing about rap, that when you say 'I' into the microphone, it's like a public confession. It's very strange.
Zadie Smith