“Nothing you write, if you hope to be good, will ever come out as you first hoped.”

“It's a sad day when you find out that it's not accident or time or fortune, but just yourself that kept things from you.”

“It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.”

“If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves.”

“I'm too old to recover, too narrow to forgive myself.”

“Cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth.”

“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions.”