“If novels and stories are bulletins from the progressive states of ign...” — Jane Smiley Quote

“If novels and stories are bulletins from the progressive states of ignorance a writer passes through over the years, observations and opinions about horses are all the more so, since horses are more mysterious than life and harder to understand.”

“Write every day, just to keep in the habit, and remember that whatever you have written is neither as good nor as bad as you think it is. Just keep going, and tell yourself that you will fix it later.”

“Why are we reading a Shakespeare play or 'Huckleberry Finn?' Well, because these works are great, but they also tell us something about the times in which they were created. Unfortunately, previous eras and dead authors often used language or accepted as normal sentiments that we now find unacceptable.”

“Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself.”

“Work harder than everybody. Read scripts, watch movies. Help other writers, it makes you better. And probably move to L.A.”

“I just need to try to work harder, and prove to the gaffer that I can be in the starting XI.”