To listen to critics, pro or con, and take their words to heart is to subcontract your self-esteem to strangers. (from Workbook)

The idiot willingness to choose sides is what feeds the abattoir of history.

Cast a spell and the small flaws don't matter. (From Workbook)

It's no sin to tell a good story.

Let failure be your workshop. See it for what is is: the world walking you through a tough but necessary semester, free of tuition. (from Workbook)

The dreamtime of creative work is a turnstile to eternity. (from Workbok)

I do my job like I breathe — so if I can’t breathe I’m in trouble.

What I mean by that is that the point of life, as I see it, is not to write books or scale mountains or sail oceans, but to achieve happiness, and preferably an unselfish happiness.

Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.

In my case, self-absorption is completely justified. I have never discovered any other subject quite so worthy of my attention.

You don't have anything if you don't have the stories.

I believe people are afraid to be still because we're used to being stimulated.

I got a little tired of movies where I had to shoot people. I got to thinking about the power of film and what that power is. The power is in fact that it really can change people's minds.

I honestly believe there is absolutely nothing like going to bed with a good #book; or a friend who's #read one.

Sell your presence and purchase bewilderment.

Sixty eight percent of Republicans don't believe in evolution. On the other hand, only five percent of monkeys believe in Republicans.