“The impulse to write a novel comes from a momentary unified vision of life.”

“Life is God's novel. Let him write it. ”

“From the pain come the dream.
From the dream come the vision.
From the vision come the people.
From the people come the power.
From this power come the change.”

“In writing a novel, when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.”

“We cannot form and enhance personality without encouraging strong impulse and strong vision in the individual. Such impulse and such vision must seek a collective voice and a social expression.”

“The very impulse to write springs from an inner chaos crying for order - for meaning.”

“You never learn how to write a novel. You just learn how to write the novel that you're writing.”

“Writing a novel is not very difficult: you simply write ten pages a day for a month and then you have a novel.”

“Writing a novel is agony.”

“Thrice round her neck my eager arms I threw;
Thrice from my empty arms the phantom flew,
Swift as the wind, with momentary flight,
Swift as a fleeting vision of the night.”