conceit is the devil's horse, and reformers generally ride it when they are in a hurry.

Truth is like heat or light; its vibrations are endless, and are endlessly felt.

Nobody who is somebody looks down on anybody.

As soon as you feel too old to do a thing, do it.

One must desire something to be alive.

Self-sacrifice which denies common sense is not a virtue. It's a spiritual dissipation.

One must desire something to be alive; perhaps absolute satisfaction is only another name for Death.

I have heard that a man might be his own lawyer, but you can't be your own judge.

A pint can't hold a quart - if it holds a pint it is doing all that can be expected of it.

Nothing may be more selfish than remorse.

A letter is a risky thing; the writer gambles on the reader's frame of mind.

The longer you live, the more mistakes you make. And the more sorrows you carry.

I saw a specialist who asked me 'Are you familiar with the phrase faecal impaction?'. I said I think I saw that one with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas.

No thanks," said Digory, "I don't know that I care much about living on and on after everyone I know is dead. I'd rather live an ordinary time and die and go to Heaven.

I didn't know whether to laugh, s*it, or go blind!

Composition is selective improvisation.

I love New York. It's kind of perfect. I'm in New York part of the time and in L.A. part of the time. That's always been a goal, to be bicoastal in a real way.

Mutual commitment helps overcome the fear of failure—especially when people are part of a team sharing and achieving goals. It also sets the stage for open dialogue and honest conversation.

I was in the hockey team in school, played football. One of the challenges for me was to make the team feel better. It helped me evolve, so batting at different positions was never a problem.

But once you have some success in one style, the business wants to lock you in that vein forever.

When I teach, I try to assign writers from whom I can learn.