Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their own government, writers are rountinely seen to be the most dangerous enemies.

Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

All secrets become deep. All secrets become dark. That's in the nature of secrets.

Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader - not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.

When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

Never underestimate the determination of a kid who is time-rich and cash-poor.

I am often asked the question How can the masses permit themselves to be exploited by the few. The answer is By being persuaded to identify with them.

The three most important documents a free society gives are a birth certificate, a passport, and a library card.

Writers are not just people who sit down and write. They hazard themselves. Every time you compose a book your composition of yourself is at stake.

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.

It hurt to think that a boy would not have him at his value of himself.

I don't sit down to write a song, per se.

The interesting thing about doing a play is to find a way to make it fresh and do it as though you were doing it for the first time.

There's this whole idea of perfection. What young girls don't realize is that these girls do have problems. It's good for people to realize everyone is human.

The thought that really crushes us is the thought of the futility of life of which death is the visible manifestation.

I've referred to [Marcus Lemonis] as my celebrity crush. I'm totally describing my celebrity crush, and that was not the question. But I am a fan of his. I really am.

I always choose songs that I have an emotional connection to, and I often feel myself getting very emotional when I sing.

It doesn't feel like you're preaching, if you can say something in a joke.

The perception of poverty as morally intolerable in a rich society had to await the emergence of a rich society

People are screwed up in this world. I'd rather be with someone screwed up and open about it than somebody perfect and ready to explode.