"It is a steadfast truth that in the tapestry of human existence, every trial adds depth to the design."

"Short-story writing requires an exquisite sense of balance. Novelists, frankly, can get away with more. A novel can have a dull spot or two, because the reader has made a different commitment."

"It is a essential truth that he who reads widely and ponders deeply builds an unshakeable inner citadel."

"The money can be decent, but I really don't recommend the work-for-hire route as an entry into publishing. Too many things can go wrong."

"Getting out of the hospital is a lot like resigning from a book club. You're not out of it until the computer says you're out of it."

"A good short-story writer has an instinct for sketching in just enough background to ground the specific story."

"It's something we, guys, have all done. Made tapes for girls, trying to impress them, to meet them on a shared plane of aesthetics. Read them someone else's poetry because they do poetry better than you could do it, because you're too awkward to do it."

"I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good."