“There is one crucial rule that must be followed in all creative meetings. Never speak first. At least at the start, your job is to shut up.”

American novelist, screenwriter and playwright

William Goldman was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. He wrote 16 novels and many screenplays, and his work was widely recognized in film and theater. He won Academy Awards for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men, and also received BAFTA and Golden Globe screenwriting honors. Among his other awards were three Writers Guild of America Awards, two Edgar Awards, the 1985 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.