Fiction was invented the day Jonah arrived home and told his wife that he was three days late because he had been swallowed by a whale..

In journalism just one fact that is false prejudices the entire work. In contrast, in fiction one single fact that is true gives legitimacy to the entire work. That's the only difference, and it lies in the commitment of the writer. A novelist can do anything he wants so long as he makes people believe in it.

A lie is more comfortable than doubt, more useful than love, more lasting than truth.

If you lie down in a village square hoping to capture a sea gull, you could stay there your whole life without succeeding. But a hundred miles from shore it's different. Sea gulls have a highly developed instinct for self-preservation on land but at sea they're very cocky.

Children's lies are signs of great talent.