I so desperately hate to end these movies that the first thing I do when I'm done is write another one. Then I don't feel sad about having to leave and everybody going away.

It's sad when you can't make everyone happy though. It's impossible but at the same time you still hope. You think 'Maybe I can do it ' but you know you can't. But gosh if I had to rely on giving people what they wanted I would have had to write 40 billion different books and even then I wouldn't get it right.

I think a lot of people think that my parents' deaths is why I write such sad songs but that's not true. Those songs may just be the woman I am.

As a songwriter I hate this whole 'If it's a sad song it has to sound like a sad song thing.' And that goes all the way back to my days with the Format. I'm an insane narcissist so if I have to get something off my chest I'll get something off my chest.

It's much easier to write when you're sad. But you can end up isolated and depressed because you almost need to put yourself in that situation to have that angst to write from.

Falling in love is awesome but I'm never drawn to happy songs per se so whenever you sit down to write a heartbreak song and you're happily in love it's like 'OK now I have to go back to a sad place to get something good.'

That is sad until one recalls how many bad books the world may yet be spared because of the busyness of writers.

The writing career is not a romantic one. The writer's life may be colorful but his work itself is rather drab.

When I start to write words have become physical presence. It was to see if I could bring that private world to life that found its first expression through reading. I really dislike the romantic notion of the artist.

The romantic idea is that everybody around a writer must suffer for his talent. I think a writer is a citizen of humanity part of his nation part of his family. He may have to make some compromises.

My goal on my bucket list is to write a romantic comedy movie.

It's easier to write from my own life and it's also more fun. I always write about relationships for instance whether they're romantic relationships friendships encounters... there's always a lesson to be learned from them.

It's a very romantic sentiment but to think that you would die if you didn't write well I would definitely choose to not write and live.

People expect me to be dark and gloomy then write that I'm a jolly chap and after all that is what I am. I think it's a case of an absolute romantic naivety that there should be a parallel between the work and the artist.

What I'd really like to write is a romantic comedy. This is my favorite kind of movie. I feel almost embarrassed revealing this because the genre has been so degraded in the past twenty years that saying you like romantic comedies is essentially an admission of mild stupidity.

Out of respect to writers you have to read the book in the way in which the author visualised it going out into the world.

It's always flattering when somebody you really respect and like wants you to be involved in their project - let alone writes a part with your voice in mind.

I believe that like most writers my personality comes through in the fiction. So in that respect my writing can't be like any other author's really.

If you are killed because you are a writer that's the maximum expression of respect you know.

The writers I respect the most had an undying commitment to a vision.

I have learned to respect ideas wherever they come from. Often they come from clients. Account executives often have big creative ideas regardless of what some writers think.

I didn't want to be a writer but I became one. And now I have many readers in many countries. I think that's a miracle. So I think I have to be humble regarding this ability. I'm proud of it and I enjoy it and it is strange to say it this way but I respect it.

I love romantic comedies. I have a deep respect for them. I think they're really difficult to write and write well.

Why do you think I write these feminist songs to try and teach myself to respect myself. You know it's not because I'm a hero.