Lynda Barry

When you learn about stories in school, you get it backward. You start to think 'Oh, the reason these things are in stories is because a book said I need to put these things in there.' You need a death, as my husband says, and you need a little sidekick with a saying like 'Skivel-dee-doo!'

Magazines and opinions of you and stuff like that, those will change, but your opinion of yourself does not have to based on what other people say. So I just learned that my inner voice has to be louder than their outside voice.