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Being briefed only once is a quaint defense. You're either briefed or not briefed.

I will be brief. Not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the world's shortest speech. He said I will be so brief I have already finished, and he sat down.

That seems to be the definition of 'novel' for me: a story that hasn't yet discovered a way to be brief.

It's lack that gives us inspiration. It's not fullness.

I like the idea of trying to influence society by taking a brief, then maybe subtly changing it or looking at it in a new way to see what interesting things can emerge.

I often say flippantly that the short story is... shorter; you can be done with it more easily. It's much less of a commitment of time and energy than a big project like a novel or long nonfiction book.

Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.

A short piece of work means as much to me as a long piece of work.