He said, "Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

And, "Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing."

As for me, I do a lot of that stuff.  And I’m not sure that Doctorow’s right, though he ought to know.  I think the creative process is what it is. And I’m often lost in the fog. Anyway, happy birthday, Ed.