When you're writing, it's as if you're within a kind of closed world. Michael Ondaatje closekindworld Change image and share on social
When you're writing non-fiction, you go as far as you can go, and then ethically you have to stop. You can't go. You can't suppose. You can't imagine. And I think there's something in human nature that wants to finish the story. Geraldine Brooks ethicallyfictionfinish share on social
When you're writing personal stories, you have to be totally uncompromising - to the extent that you can be - about yourself. I know that if I am uber-uncompromising with myself, that gives me some latitude to write about others. Rob Lowe extentlatitudepersonal share on social
When you're writing plays, it's possible to believe you don't have any real world skill. When you're adapting, it is really all about the mechanics, so you feel closer to, I don't know, an accountant or someone who has a body of information. It's not all about temperament. Richard Greenberg accountantadaptbody share on social
When you're writing stuff that's already clotted with neologisms and trying to get across fairly abstruse concepts, you're already putting a heavy burden on the reader. Alastair Reynolds abstruseburdenclot Change image and share on social
When you're writing there's a deep, deep level of concentration way below your normal self. This strange voice, these strange sentences come out of you. John Banville concentrationdeeplevel Change image and share on social
When you're writing these things, you're in a room making each other laugh, you really have very little sense of political correctness or incorrectness. This is a question that Europe tends to ask and America doesn't. Mike Myers americacorrectnesseurope share on social
When you're writing, you are robbed of your delivery. Calvin Trillin deliveryrobwrite Change image and share on social
When you're writing, you're conjuring. It's a ritual, and you need to be brave and respectful and sometimes get out of the way of whatever it is that you're inviting into the room. Tom Waits braveconjureinvite Change image and share on social
When you're writing you're constantly fighting demons to sit down and do what you do. If you listen to the voices outside your head, in addition to the ones inside your head, you'll never get anything done. There's enough inner strife. Melissa Rosenberg additionconstantlydemon share on social
