INTERVIEWER
Have you ever relied on your writing for income?

PALEY
No. I’ve always had to teach, or read, or lecture.

INTERVIEWER
What is the relationship between writing and money?

PALEY
It’s helpful to have money. I don’t think writers have to suffer to starve to death. One of the first things I tell my class is, If you want to write, keep a low overhead. If you want to live expansively, you are going to be in trouble because then you have to start thinking very hard about whom you’re writing to, who the audience is, who the editor thinks your audience is, who he wants your audience to be.