“As a writer you must keep a tight rein on your subjective self—the traveler touched by new sights and sounds and smells—and keep an objective eye on the reader.”

“Decide what you want to do. Then decide to do it. Then do it.”

“Write about small, self-contained incidents that are still vivid in your memory. If you remember them, it's because they contain a larger truth that your readers will recognize in their own lives. Think small and you'll wind up finding the big themes in your family saga. ”

“Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.”

“Be true to yourself and to the culture you were born into. Tell your story as only you can.”

“Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it.”

“Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose.”