Billy Paul
Billy Paul

When I heard The Beatles, that was my turning point. They were like my mentors. You know, the funny thing about that, when I heard 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' at first I said these guys are like a flash in the pan. But the second album, I had to take all that back. John Lennon - one of the greatest writers in the world.

Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt

Not being a natural songwriter... for me the appreciation of a great song and the writers came early on, growing up in a musical family. My dad got to sing songs by some of the greatest writers of all time, Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Cybill Shepherd
Cybill Shepherd

Gore Vidal has been a friend of mine for years, and he's one of the greatest writers in American history.

Derek Walcott
Derek Walcott

The greatest writers have been, at heart, parochial, provincial in their rootedness.

Ismail Kadare
Ismail Kadare

For a writer, personal freedom is not so important. It is not individual freedom that guarantees the greatness of literature; otherwise, writers in democratic countries would be superior to all others. Some of the greatest writers wrote under dictatorship - Shakespeare, Cervantes.

Jared Harris
Jared Harris

Matt Weiner is an amazing writer. He's one of the best, greatest writers that's ever written for television - or just written.

John Krasinski
John Krasinski

David Foster Wallace, in my opinion, is one of the greatest writers we've ever had, certainly in the last twenty years. His obvious dominance of the English language is partnered with honest moments and the most beautifully dark sensibility.

Kent McCord
Kent McCord

Some of the greatest writers in our industry can't get work.