Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I'm still startled when people ask me for writing advice.
Lots of people ask me for advice as if I somehow have found some easy way to create a solution to a problem, and there's no such thing.
Often people ask me about getting involved in service and philanthropy, and my first advice is: Make sure it's real and it's transparent.
To me, people's lives and loves are entwined with their characters, natures and circumstances. I regard all general advice with skepticism.
Listen to people and treat people as you find them. There's an inherent goodness in most people. Don't pre-judge people - that was me Mam's advice anyway.
At least for the people who send me mail about a new language that they're designing, the general advice is: do it to learn about how to write a compiler.
As a largely unsuccessful comedian, I've become someone that younger people sometimes find and ask for advice, which I'm happy to give, even though it makes me feel old.
MC Lyte definitely embraces me. Jada Pinkett Smith embraces me. Those are two people that I can call and get advice. Those are two people that will call me to see what I'm doing.
My characters surprise me constantly. My characters are like my friends - I can give them advice, but they don't have to take it. If your characters are real, then they surprise you, just like real people.