“I guess that's what art is: Turning something painful into something p...” — Maria Semple Quote

I guess that's what art is: Turning something painful into something people can relate to.

When you become a parent, that's a whole new level of life intruding. Nobody tells you how boring and time-sucking it's going to be! Or how the responsibility feels like an airbag going off in your life.

I love epistolary novels and became wildly excited when the form presented itself to me.

Some people, especially literary people, they think, 'I'll write this original script, and it will be full of ideas. I'll submit it, and they'll hire me for television.' That's not the case.

My strength as a TV writer was my total lack of interest in television.

I think being creative is incredibly difficult and painful.

I love spicy food, love it. But wasabi is just painful.

Fame doesn't matter; people approving of you doesn't matter. And if it does matter, you're in store for something very difficult and painful.

I always say writing a play is like toothache: I find it incredibly painful, and it's only once the play's out that the pain is gone.

I thought that would go without saying, that if a mother gives up her children, it's very painful.