Quotes from Alan Ziegler

The things we have most longed for do not happen; or if they do, it is never at the time nor under the circumstances when they could have made us happiest.

I prefer solitude to companions, since there are so few men who are trustworthy, and almost none truly learned. I do not say this because I demand scholarship in all men—although the sum total of men's learning is small enough; but I question whether we should allow anyone to waste our time. The wasting of time is an abomination.

Keep your notebooks stocked with dreams, ideas for characters, odd thoughts (someday you may invent odd characters to think them), overheard dialogue, observations, and memories. Write "nibble notes" (consisting of key words, idea kernels) during the day, instead of counting on a nighttime writing repast that might not happen (too tired, too much