I always try to tell a good story, one with a compelling plot that will keep the pages turning. That is my first and primary goal. Sometimes I can tackle an issue-homelessness, tobacco litigation, insurance fraud, the death penalty-and wrap a good story around it.
I think it's much more natural as a writer to want to tell one story rather than lots of small stories that are half an hour long.
The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print, orating, writing it down or having people acting it out. That's why I'm always hoping society never collapses because the first ones to go will be entertainers.
I come now to tell you for what I am brought here to die, and to give you an account of my faith, which I shall do as in the sight of the living God before whom I am shortly to stand.
There's a glorious sense of freedom in comedy, just allowing myself to tell jokes, allowing myself to interrupt myself and tell old African folk stories that I made up - or didn't - and Jamaican stories.
But what I'd really like to tell you is I never dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame. Standing here with all these great players was beyond any of my dreams.
Then I found books that were written much later, as late as 15 years ago. It was very superficial material, but enough to tell me that the genesis of this story was worth exploring.
As I got farther and farther along in the series I did less and less preparation. I didn't use outlines or sketches. I just had a vague idea of what I wanted to tell and then the dialogue just came to me as I was inking the page.
The problem is neutrality ends in poverty, neutrality ends in choices that hurt people's lives. This administration is deliberately telling organizations that are there to help young girls make good choices, not to tell them what the good choice is. That is absolutely unconscionable.
My father was both the person who gave me reason to learn how to fight and the one who taught me the basics of fighting. He would tell me that if it was a big fight, it would probably be uneven, it wouldn't be fair.
On a Chinese film you just give orders, no one questions you. Here, you have to convince people, you have to tell them why you want to do it a certain way, and they argue with you. Democracy.
A multitude of bees can tell the time of day, calculate the geometry of the sun's position, argue about the best location for the next swarm. Bees do a lot of close observing of other bees; maybe they know what follows stinging and do it anyway.
It is high time that the international community tell Saddam Hussein and his regime that this is not an issue of negotiation with the U.N. about obligations that they undertook in 1991.
I get plenty of, 'Is that song about me?' from men but I just tell them to get over themselves.
Lets tell young people the best books are yet to written; the best painting, the best government the best of everything is yet to be done by them.
I think old people are scary. They remind you of your own death. People don't like to tell you that.
I tell people Baltimore is lucky to be rid of the Colts, they're so lousy, but I don't mean it.
I have a career I love more than I can tell you, and I have it because I work incredibly hard pretty much every single day.
Well, I'll tell you, I don't know how aware teenagers are of me. I think it really depends on the teenager and how well-versed in music they are and what kind of music they like.
You're not a historian, but most historians will tell you that they make very discrete judgment as to what facts to omit in order to make their book into some shape, some length that can be managed.
When they tell you that you have cancer, you panic.
Whatever we want to think about American business - work hard, tell the truth, have morality - it's a myth. There's a lot of graft.
I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this. I would be very glad to tell you my life if you want to hear of it.
That song is a story that shows how easily you could get slipped into being labeled as the bad guy, even though what you really trying to do is tell the bad guy to leave you alone.
I still look good. I'm trippin', but people tell me that all the time. So check it out, I'm 63, and still kicking. I've been putting records out every year.
It takes more drawing to tell a story in pantomime.
I think that you get the mood of a song stronger if you get it right that way. On the other hand, you put some songs out live and they don't catch flight. They just flop. It is hard to tell until they are out there.
It's a question of why they come for your advice. Whatever I tell you, it doesn't matter, it is completely irrelevant in a way. I know so many actors who were discouraged and put that aside. You will get half-baked opinions.
It is my happy privilege to be able to stand here and tell you that if you elect me you will have elected a governor who has made no promises of preferment to any man or group.
But, sir, they have written me down upon the history of the country as worthy of expulsion, and in no unkindness I must tell them that for all future time my self-respect requires that I shall pass them as strangers.
I can tell how I'm doing, and I can tell if the crowd is particularly dead.
Be able to tell whether garments that look good on the hanger actually look good on you.
The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like.
If you tell me there's something I can't do, I'll want to do it even more. Especially when it comes to entertaining.
I am thrilled FLIRT! tapped into me to be their new Style Ambassador. I love FLIRT! products because they help me express my own personal style - especially when I want to stand out on set or in the crowd. What could be more fun than getting to play with makeup and fragrance and tell people all about it!
On Sunday morning, I'm not nervous... I can't wait to tell what God wants me to say.
