Nothing beats novel writing because it's complete expression of you. You just control everything. Not even a movie director has that level of control.

I find that even small changes sometimes jog you out of a mental rut.

When I was writing 'The Abstinence Teacher,' I really tried to immerse myself in contemporary American evangelical culture.

I'm not sure that it's possible to write a novel about people who don't transgress or stumble, people who don't surprise themselves with the things they do, people who can explain all their actions with perfect logical consistency. At least it's not possible for me to write that sort of novel.

I have nothing revolutionary or even novel to offer.

If you're a movie actor, you're on your own - you cannot control the stage. The director controls it.