I write because I love to. I'm very, very fortunate to have found something that I love doing that also earns my living. But to be honest, I'd write even if I weren't being paid to. Christopher Paul Curtis More Quotes by Christopher Paul Curtis More Quotes From Christopher Paul Curtis I try to make the writing as regular and regimented as possible. I usually get up at around 5 a.m. and read what I wrote the day before. Some of the time, after I read, I think the writing's very good and some of the time I feel embarrassed by what I've written. You have to learn not to pay too much attention to these feelings. Christopher Paul Curtis feelings writing thinking No sir, I don't know why, but my eyes don't cry no more. Christopher Paul Curtis cry eye knows Having a little pee in your pants had to be better than being dinner for some redneck. Christopher Paul Curtis redneck dinner littles Rules and Things Number 63: Never, Ever Say Something Bad About Someone You Don't Know--Especially When You're Around a Bunch of Strangers. You Never Can Tell Who Might Be Kin to That Person or Who Might Be a Lip-Flapping, Big-Mouth Spy. Christopher Paul Curtis spy mouths numbers Every encounter with a woman must be viewed as a negotiation, ... the difference being instead of coaxing them off rooftops, you're coaxing them into romance. And remember, the negotiator is always in control. Christopher Paul Curtis encounters romance differences As the writer you are the puppet-master and can control everything. Believe me, that is a whole lot of fun because it ain't something that's going to be happening very often in real life! Christopher Paul Curtis real fun believe There's one good thing about getting in trouble: It seems like you do it in steps. It seems like you don't just end up in trouble but that you kind of ease yourself into it. It also seems like the worse the trouble is that you get into, the more steps it takes to get there. Sort of like you're getting a bunch of little warnings on the way; sort of like if you really wanted to you could turn around. Christopher Paul Curtis warning ease life Probably the only thing that isn't great is the time when I know I'm very close to finishing the actual writing of the story and I'm overcome by this sense of loss. I think it's because I know I won't be "talking" to the main character anymore, it's sort of like what you feel when you know a friend is moving away and you probably won't be seeing her again. Christopher Paul Curtis writing character moving But don't ever call her ex-boyfriends by his name. Christopher Paul Curtis exes ex-boyfriend names Byron says he won't go there. He give Kenny and Joey a story about "Wool Pooh," the supposed evil twin of Winnie-the-Pooh. They believe him, but Kenny still wants to go. Christopher Paul Curtis evil giving believe