I vividly remember being 14. That was the age when I started to get happy: I started being a writer and stopped being a loser.

To write a story about New York that only deals with people in your age and socioeconomic bracket that feels dishonest to me. So much of New York comes from everyone bumping into each other.

I started writing when I had three kids under the age of 4. I used to write every ten minutes I got to sit in front of a computer. Now when I have more time I function the same way: if it's writing time I write.

Writers obviously have to bear witness to the harsh face of the age.

It's a little silly to finally learn how to write at this age. But I long ago realized I was secretly sincere.

Each age tries to form its own conception of the past. Each age writes the history of the past anew with reference to the conditions uppermost in its own time.

I want to sell to people my own age because that's the way I write songs.

I think all writers of my age who are brought up on films probably by the age of 16 have seen many more films than they have read classics of literature. We can't help but be influenced by film. Film has got some great tricks that it's taught writers.

I try to write lyrics so that they won't age which sort of leaves you with the big subjects like death and love and sex and violence.

The greatest writers of this age... are aware of the mystery of our existence.