Stephen Dobyns on intuition

 Stephen Dobyns is an American novelist and poet--at least, he's billed as a poet, but think of his poems more as short, exquisitely crafted stories. He also moonlights as a detective novelist.

“Hesitancy is the surest destroyer of talent. One cannot be timorous and reticent, one must be original and loud. New metaphors, new rhythms, new expressions of emotion can only spring from unhindered gall. Nothing should interfere with that intuition--not the fear of appearing stupid, nor of offending somebody, nor jeopardizing publication, nor being trivial. The intuition must be as unhindered as a karate chop.”

Favorite books

Cold Dog Soup

The Two Deaths of Senora Puccini

Common Carnage

Bonus Quote

Writing is a job, a craft, and you learn it by trying to write every day and by facing the page with humility and gall. And you have to love to read books, all kinds of books, good books. You are not looking for anything in particular; you are just letting stuff seep in.