The making of fiction takes literally what is suggested by our imagination.

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.

Never a day without a line.

Humans are not made for endless light. Humans need their darknesses.

The defining lines of reality have always been a bit blurred for me.

Peace is joy at rest. Joy is peace on its feet. quoting her pastor in Salon, April 25, 2003

There's something inherently comic about the fact that politicians make things worse by worrying too much about something.

You're as white as a nun's buttock. Are you all right?

Life ain't easy. Terrible things happen to everyone. You have to keep your sense of humor, give something of yourself to others, make friends who are younger than you, learn new things, and have fun.

I like to highlight people's superpowers.

The United States has become great because we, as a people, have been able to work together for great objectives even while differing about details.

The candle of liberty has always been kept lit by a vigilant few.