Friendship is a pretty full-time occupation if you really are friendly with somebody. You can't have too many friends because then you're just not really friends.

Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself.

...he called after her as she
disappeared down the path, a pretty girl in a hurry...

Well, I'm about as tall as a shotgun, and just as noisy.

I was eleven, then I was sixteen. Though no honors came my way, those were the lovely years.

L.A. is full of screenwriters. I don't know why. On many levels, it's such a thankless occupation.