“Delay is natural to a writer. He is like a surfer – he bides his time, waits for the perfect wave on which to ride in. Delay is instinctive with him. He waits for the surge (of emotion? Of strength? Of courage?) that will carry him along. I have no warm-up exercises, other than to take an occasional drink. I am apt to let something simmer for a while in my mind before trying to put it into words…I revise a great deal. I know when something is right because bells begin ringing and lights flash. I’m not at all sure what the ‘necessary equipment’ is for a writer – it seems to vary greatly with the individual. Some writers are equipped with extrasensory perception. Some have a good ear, like O’Hara. Some are equipped with humor – although not really as many as you think they are. Some are equipped with a massive intellect like Wilson. Some are prodigious. I do think the ability to evaluate one’s own stuff with reasonable accuracy is a helpful piece of equipment.” – E.B. White, Writers at Work