“His failure hurt too badly for that. It was a bad equation. Best erase it and try a new one.If adults could put aside their obsessions with such firmness, the world would undoubtedly be a better place. Robertson Davies does not say that in his Deptford Trilogy ... but he strongly hints at it.”

“Mr. Robertson Davies has also suggested in his Deptford Trilogy that the same great truism which applies to writing, painting, picking horses at the track, and telling lies in a sincerely believable way, also applies to magic: some people got the knack, and some people don’t. Hilly didn’t.”

“He lay back, put his arm over his eyes, and tried to hold onto the anger, because the anger made him feel brave. A brave man could think. A coward couldn't.”

“By the time he was done with the deer it had been dark three hours and his bad leg was singing 'Ave Maria'.”

“Willpower and dedication are good words' Roland remarked 'There's a bad one, though, that means the same thing. That one is obsession”

“Almost everyone can remember losing his or her virginity, and most writers can remember the first book he/she put down thinking: I can do better than this. Hell, I am doing better than this! What could be more encouraging to the struggling writer than to realize his/her work is unquestionably better than that of someone who actually got paid for his/her stuff?”

“I can't lie and say there are no bad writers. Sorry, but there are lots of bad writers.”