“Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.”

“While writing the first draft is an exercise in shutting down all of the things we think we know so that the story features come tumbling out, the revision is the end of the joy ride. We pull on the gloves and sort of poke around inside the body. Is that a tumor? Will that limb need amputation? I nearly second-guessed myself into heart failure while learning to self-edit.”

“Never reach out your hand unless you're willing to extend an arm.”

“Zeal without knowledge is fire without light.”

“No-pocket jeans are only slightly less irritating than thong underwear.”

“You don't write what you know you write to find out what you don't know”

“Sunlight Chisels out every angle, swale, and creature on the surface, and ties you right to everything by your eyesight. The sky usually shines so blue it will make your eyes hurt. The ground glows a fine gold and the sky cuts right into the horizon like a blue knife into a warm loaf of bread.”