The only sensible ends of literature are first the pleasurable toil of writing second the gratification of one's family and friends and lastly the solid cash.

And in that I cannot send unto you all my businesses in writing I despatch these present bearers fully informed in all things to whom it may please you to give faith and credence in what they shall say unto you by word of mouth.

Writing is an act of faith not a trick of grammar.

The assertion of failure coming from such persons does not mean that Mr. Mill failed to promote the practical success of those objects the advocacy of which forms the chief feature of his political writings.

I made a very conscious effort to finish 'The Cypress House' before 'So Cold the River' launched because I thought that would help build a buffer between my writing and any impact that came from either the success or the failure of that first book.

My failure during the first five or six years of my art training to get set in the right direction and the disappointment which it caused me drove me the more persistently into writing as an alternative.

The failure of The Cable Guy impacted my career. I had to start writing and acting again.

Schools don't really allow failure and yet it's a valid part of any endeavour not just writing.

I can't say I'm not grateful to have journalists writing about me as a genius. But I know it's not true. I'm not confused. I understand that success comes through a lot of failure and a lot of very embarrassing failure. People want to create the next Facebook but they are too afraid to create the next Facemash.

I find writing very difficult. It's hard and it hurts sometimes and it's scary because of the fear of failure and the very unpleasant feeling that you may have reached the limit of your abilities.