His work crosses borders of age, ethnicity, and time.

“A story-teller must tell his story in such a way that the reader will not feel that his time has been wasted.”

Talent is required. But it’s only one of the components for creating good fiction. And being possessed of less than superlative gifts doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue writing.

esoteric

your eloquence should be the servant of the ideas in your head. Your rule might be this: If a sentence, no matter how excellent, does not illuminate your subject in some new and useful way, scratch it out.16

Writing is a generosity, even to yourself.

So a writer is someone who is willing to be uncomfortable enough—or is uncomfortable enough by nature—to wonder where people are, where they’re going, and why they’re going there. A writer is willing to take risks for that wondering. A writer cares that much about his or her subject.

Sometimes a subject finds you. It is not a matter of seeking what you care about. Something happens right in your face that you end up caring about so fiercely that it becomes integral to your being.

Writing is hard work. Writing well is very hard work. It takes courage and perseverance.