“And perhaps there is no advice to give a writer more important than this: — Never write anything that does not give you great pleasure.”

“A fop sometimes gives important advice.”

“In books we never find anything but ourselves. Strangely enough, that always gives us great pleasure, and we say the author is a genius.”

“I wish to God that you had as much pleasure in following my advice, as I have in giving it to you.”

“To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it.”

“My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: When you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.”

“The silence of a great writer says more than the writing of the greatest dilettante.”

“1. Never give anything away for nothing. 2. Never give more than you have to (always catch the buyer hungry and always make him wait). 3. Always take back everything if you possibly can.”

“Does that remind you of anything? No? Give up?”

“There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.”