“Writing a story, regardless of length, begins always with a single word.”

“Fear and self-doubt are the deadly enemies of creativity. Don’t invite either into your mind.”

“Any conversation including the mention of Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, or Emily Dickinson is one worth getting into or at least eavesdropping.”

“Writing a first-draft battle scene is akin to real combat—chaos, confusion, and you must keep your cool as you fire word bullets downrange.”

“A day of bad writing is always better than a day of no writing.”

“Successful writing is a slow, daily, meticulous form of mental illness.”

“Always work with/surround yourself with people who help make you a better version of you. Kindly avoid those who don't.”

“Regarding the creative: never assume you're the master, only the student. Your audience will determine if you're masterful.”

“When you print out your manuscript and read it, marking up with a pen, it sometimes feels like a criminal returning to the scene of a crime.”

“You can be a writer who doesn't read everyday. But you're not fooling anyone. It shows, rather embarrassingly, in your work.”

“Don't think about the writing process too much. Just do one thing: tell the motherfucking story.”