Writing teaches us that how we feel is more important than anything. Don’t wait until you publish the book or win the award to feel successful. Seek it now in any way you can.

The imagination is so powerful, its connection to others is often as intimate as touch. 

You don’t have to have been homeless or abused or addicted to have a life full enough to tell any story. 

Sometimes it may seem like our opportunities have dried up, but that’s almost always because we have begun to doubt. 

There are times when feedback from an editor or friend or writing group is helpful. But not if you’re looking for validation. That has to come from you.