Writers take words seriously-perhaps the last professional class that does-and they struggle to steer their own through the crosswinds of meddling editors and careless typesetters and obtuse and malevolent reviewers into the lap of the ideal reader.
Writers shouldn't have lives that are interesting. It gets in the way of your work.
Writers often say that characters begin to write themselves, and I never used to believe that. I always thought that was complete hogwash.
Writers often feel obliged to adopt some sort of public appearance.
Writers of fiction should stick to writing, not pop up on panel shows or as a talking head.
Writers lock up themselves into their language. I locked up myself into my language situation, where only new high German is spoken.
Writers have to be very careful and discerning because so much of the machine is out of their control.
Writers have to be observant. Every nuance, every inflection in a voice, the quality of air, even - they all get mixed up in this soup of the story developing in our minds.
Writers have it easy. If you write a bestseller or have your book made into a movie, you'll never have to work again, or so the myth goes.
Writers get embarrassed sometimes in talking about how much fun writing can be, but drafting is often really enjoyable. Often, you're tumbling in the dark, and you don't know where the story is going to lead.