J. Michael Straczynski

“I don't start writing a script until I can see it all in my head, then it's a matter of getting it down in white heat.”

“I think that we are already making steps toward mapping out the brain so we can identify the chemical patterns that create and store memory.”

“You should do what you enjoy doing, what brings you passion. As kids, we spontaneously sing and dance and tell stories, and along the way, someone comes and says, 'No. You shouldn't be doing that.' And we slowly begin to unlearn our passions. I think you have to hold on to those things.”

“All love is unrequited. All of it.”

“A good story should provoke discussion, debate, argument...and the occasional bar fight.”

“I'm delirious with joy. It proves that if you confront the universe with good intentions in your heart, it will reflect that and reward your intent. Usually. It just doesn't always do it in the way you expect.”

“Understanding is a three edged sword: your side, their side, and the truth.”

“I'm a big believer in the idea that while we are the sum of our tears, we are also the product of our choices in how we deal with those tears.”

“Life isn't about the final moments, it's about the journey, it's about process. What makes 'Rocky' work as a movie is seeing him working his way up from the streets to the arena and the fight of his life. You could just show that fight, and it would be great, but seeing that journey illuminates that fight and adds profound meaning to it.”

“Writing is the process of asking the next logical question.”

“A movie is a movie and a book is a book, and they have different rules.”

“Take care, don't fight, and remember: if you do not choose to lead, you will forever be led by others. Find what scares you, and do it. And you can make a difference, if you choose to do so.”

“When writers don't know what to do with a character, they build up the supporting cast and universe to kind of hide that fact. After a while, you can no longer see the character for the underbrush. When that happens, you need to bring out the weed-whacker to clear some of that away so you can focus on the main character.”

“Anyone who sets foot into the 'Watchmen' universe and isn't just a little nervous should be given a few days of electroshock therapy. I've always considered 'Watchmen' to be one of the best graphic novels ever written, and when it came out back in 1986 I was as blown away as everyone else. Just masterful.”

“I've made a decision and now I must face the consequences.”

“My philosophy: find what it is you want to say, walk in the room, say it, and get the hell out.”

“People spend too much time finding other people to blame, too much energy finding excuses for not being what they are capable of being, and not enough energy putting themselves on the line, growing out of the past, and getting on with their lives.”

“To have someone like Clint Eastwood come along and shoot your first draft as written is just any screenwriter's dream. And Clint is very straightforward. If it's good enough to get his attention, it's good enough to produce.”

“I've always been kind of a mutt creatively. I started off in journalism, and I've actually done more police and procedural shows than I've ever done science fiction shows. I was on 'Murder She Wrote,' I was on 'Walker, Texas Ranger,' I was on 'Jake and the Fat Man.'”

“I've always been a science fiction fan since I had understood the conception of what a story was.”