Novelist Barbara Kingsolver says, “Wisdom is like frequent-flyer miles and scar tissue; if it does accumulate, that happens by accident while you’re trying to do something else.” As a teacher of writing courses, she is inevitably asked by earnest 20-year-olds: “How do I improve my writing?” 

Kingsolver’s advice? “Quit smoking, and observe posted speed limits. This will improve your odds of getting old enough to be wise.”

January 2009 Newsletter