(question, Partisan Review, 1939)
“Have you found it possible to make a living by writing the sort of thing you want to, and without the aid of such crutches as teaching and editorial work? Do you think there is any place in our present economic system for literature as a profession?”

(answer, James Agee)
“No; no living. Nor do I think there is any place in our etcetra for ‘literature’ as a ‘profession,’ unless you mean for professional literateurs, who are a sort of high-class spiritual journalist and the antichrits of all good work. Nor do I think your implied desire that under a ‘good system’ there would be such a place for real ‘writers’ is to be respected or other than deplored. A good artist is a deadly enemy of socity; and the most dangerous thing that can happen to an enemy, no matter how cynical, is to become a beneficiary. No society, no matter how good, could be mature enough to support a real artist without mortal danger to that artist. Only no one need worry: for this same artist is about the one sort of human being alive who can be trusted to take care of himself.”
Finally taking pictures at home.