I don't think a white person can write accurately and convincingly about what black people experience of oppression.

I think people feel for a long time that they ought to know how to write a novel in two drafts.

Whoever would write books? It's suffering as well as greatly satisfying. And certainly there's suffering in the sense that you don't know for a long time how to do it.

We still have so many cultures in which people are imprisoned and whipped and killed for writing what they think.

In many cultures, women are sometimes literally kept from learning to read or from going to school.

There's the belief that we can't be smart enough to write. And certainly censorship of women, too.

You have to write fiction that mirrors the actual world, which has people of all sorts in it.

I heard a white writer say, 'Oh, I'd never put black people in my writing, I'm afraid I would offend someone by doing it wrong.' I can't bear that!

There is a lot of censorship about writing that's exerted from all directions, from families or governments and society, even the fear of being offensive in some way.

Little children are all writers.

I love it when people can help me with my work, so I do show it.

Is she a good baby? People would ask me. Well, no, I'd say.That swirl of hair on the back of her head. We must have taken a thousand pictures of it.

Show physical affection. Nothing says "I love you" like bearing the entirety of your spouse's weight.

Groupies will give you Chlamydia, Edward.”“Right, Virg. Groupies throw underwear on stage. They don’t throw flowers.

I went to Zimbabwe. I know how white people feel in America now relaxed! Cause when I heard the police car I knew they weren't coming after me!

In the old, sin contaminates. In the new, righteousness contaminates. It's a different day.

He strains his conversation through a cigar.

The violence of our time is caused by obedience.

I write only for my shadow which is cast on the wall in front of the light. I must introduce myself to it.

I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.

You can run from some problems, but then you get caught up in others.