Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
The best time to live-up to a great expectation be only when everyone says give-up.
My delight in writing poetry is taking words out and throwing them away.
I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.
I always advise children who ask me for tips on being a writer to read as much as they possibly can. Jane Austen gave a young friend the same advice, so I'm in good company there.
I've no idea where ideas come from and I hope I never find out, it would spoil the excitement for me if it turned out I just have a funny little wrinkle on the surface of my brain which makes me think about invisible train platforms.
I don't think necessity is the mother of invention — invention, in my opinion, arises directly from idleness, possibly also from laziness. To save oneself trouble.
I love fantasy. I love horror. I love musicals. Whatever doesn't really happen in life is what I'm interested in. As a way of commenting on everything that does happen in life, because ultimately the only thing I'm really interested in is people.
The artist brings something into the world that didn't exist before, and he does it without destroying something else.
"Enchantment's in bookstores on Tues?" "No, it's already there. I've already given birth."