On art and literature as real magic:
"Art is, like magic, the science of manipulating symbols, words, or images to achieve changes in consciousness....To cast a spell, is simply to spell, to manipulate words, to change people's consciousness. And I believe that this is why an artist or writer is the closest thing in the contemporary world that your are likely to see to a shaman....Artists and writers have allowed themselves to be sold down the river. They have accepted the prevailing belief that art and writing are merely forms of entertainment. They're not seen as transformative forces that can change a human being, that can change society."
On creativity as alchemy:
"To me, all creativity is magic. Ideas start out in the empty void of your head - and they end up as a material thing, like a book you can hold in your hand. That is the magical process. It's an alchemical thing. Yes, we do get the gold out of it but that's not the most important thing. It's the work itself."
On the reality of gods in the human mind:
"One word balloon in From Hell completely hijacked my life. A character says something like, 'The one place gods inarguably exist is in the human mind.' After I wrote that, I realized I'd accidentally made a true statement, and now I'd have to rearrange my entire life around it."
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