Remember, I don’t threaten. I don’t play. I always carry firearms. The truly violent are never without them. - Joanna Russ

The idea that artists should be willing to push something as far as it will go, until they watch it crack, has always appealed to me.

If you want to be an assassin, remember that you must decline all challenges. Showing off is not your job.
If you are insulted, smile meekly. Don’t break your cover.
Be afraid. This is information about the world.
You are valuable. Push yourself.
Take the easiest way out whenever possible. Resist curiosity, pride, and the temptation to defy limits. You are not your own woman and must be built to last.
Indulge hatred. Action comes from the heart.
Pray often. How else can you quarrel with God?

Art is collective. Always, it has a tradition behind it.