“Sometimes a writer, like an acrobat, must try a trick that is too much for him.”

“The trick is not becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer.”

“When a writer tries to explain too much, he's out of time before he begins.”

“Writers often torture themselves trying to get the words right. Sometimes you must lower your expectations and just finish it.”

“I hate tricks. At the first sign of a trick or gimmick in a piece of fiction, a cheap trick or even an elaborate trick, I tend to look for cover. Tricks are ultimately boring, and I get bored easily, which may go along with my not having much of an attention span. But extremely clever chi-chi writing, or just plain tomfoolery writing, puts me to sleep. Writers don't need tricks or gimmicks or even necessarily need to be the smartest fellows on the block. At the risk of appearing foolish, a writer sometimes needs to be able to just stand and gape at this or that thing- a sunset or an old shoe- in absolute and simple amazement.”

“Sometimes one day at a time is too much. Try one moment at a time.”