You don’t write because you want to say something; you write because you’ve got something to say.
Often I think writing is a sheer paring away of oneself leaving always something thinner, barer, more meager.
In fact to write it, it took three months; to conceive it – three minutes; to collect the data in it – all my life.
I may turn out an intellectual, but I’ll never write anything but mediocre poetry.
Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.
An author ought to write for the youth of his own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmaster of ever afterwards.
All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.
