“I love the idea of numerology, but I don't really believe in it. But I like thinking about what numbers convey.”
“Writing can be a frightening, distressing business, and whatever kind of structure or buffer is available can help a lot.”
“In terms of foods for me, I think I have more of the usual associations - foods from childhood that I associate with care and love, from relatives or special restaurants like the kind elderly man who dusted seasoning salt on French fries at the corner burger joint.”
“Generally, I think most of my writing tends to have some kind of magical element to it. That's the way I can access the emotional life of the character.”
“I find I can write for two lines, and then I have nothing else to say. For me, the only way to find something comes through the sentence level and sticking with the sentences that give a subtle feeling that there's something more to say.”
“I noticed, when I taught elementary school, how true the squeaky wheel thing is, and how endearing squeaky wheels can be! Because when you're being a squeaky wheel, you're also really letting people know who you are.”
“One thing I don't want to feel is marketplace pressure, so I'm really glad I enjoy teaching because I can rely on that for a salary. I think it would be such a different game if I had to write a book that has to sell well.”
“Some creative writing programs seem evil, but my experience at Irvine was totally the opposite, where I feel like they were really good at focusing in on each writers voice and setting. When I felt like I was obligated to write a story that was more typical, no one really liked it.”
“For me as a person, friendships are incredibly important to me, but in writing, they can distract me.”
“Granted, I'm someone who loves words. I've always loved poetry - so it's suited to me.”