“Write about what you don't know about what you know.”

“When it comes to people -- don't write about who you know; but what you know of human nature.”

“He's a fantastic player. I don't know what else you guys can write about him, but he's the best I've ever played with.”

“You've got the temperament of a scholar, and you live on your own and write books. You don't have anything to do with civilization. You've been in London a few days and you can't wait to get back home. But how about the people who can't write books -- people there's no outlet for in this civilization? What about your new men who don't know what to do?”

“You know what they're writing about
Baby you know what they're writing about
It's a thing called love down through the ages
Makes you wanna cry sometimes
Makes you feel like you wanna lay down and die sometimes
Makes you high sometimes
But when you really get in it lifts you right up.”

“Don't ever write anything you don't like yourself and if you do like it, don't take anyone's advice about changing it. They just don't know.”

“Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.”

“What can man know about happiness except how to write it?”

“Write what you know.”

“The secret is not to write about what you love best, but about what you, alone, love at all.”