What writers do - everything comes from inside, from experiences of the world that we have digested. And then we turn it into silk, or stories.

Accept criticism. If you do not offer your work for criticism and accept that criticism, meaning give it serious thought and attention, then you will never improve.

If you’re a writer, your first duty, a duty you owe to yourself and your readers, and to your writing itself, is to become wonderful. To become the best writer you can possibly be.

I think part of my purpose in this life is to talk about magic, and to make it.

The only thing worth thinking about, when I write a story, is whether I like it, whether I want to write it, whether it excites me.

The appeal of writing a romance was that I'd never written one before the The Thorn and The Blossom.

I loved writing something I'd never written before, and I wanted to write not just about "true love" but also a human relationship.

I actually pushed the boundaries on how long a book like this [The Thorn and the Blossom] can be. The original plan called for two 7,500 word stories, and I turned in two 10,000 word stories.

I've heard some readers saying they wished the story was longer, and I completely understand that desire - we all like to sink into a nice, long novel.

It's appropriate to have magic in a love story, because magic is a sort of metaphor for what love feels like? When we fall in love, the world feels magical to us. It becomes an enchanted place.

I see so many talented writers who have difficulties with that. And if you don't believe it's important, you won't put in the work you need to.

Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

Put a man on the brink of the abyss and - in the unlikely event that she doesn't fall into it - he will become a mystic or a madman... Which is probably the same thing!

Tell them what you do, and if they want to know more, they’ll ask.

I don't watch 'American Idol,' but I wouldn't call it 'undignified.'

When you have another actor as your boss, they understand how to communicate easier sometimes than just a writer.

Everything that creative people think and do is from the heart.

WhenIWasYourAge: It took a week to learn whether your photos came out okay.

I started doing improv my sophomore year.

I would hope I would inspire kids everywhere to know that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Just because your prince hasn't come doesn't mean you're not a princess.