Shonda Rhimes

I've learned this is a very long marriage doing a television show. I like the people that I work with to be people I enjoy, so you want to cast people who are as excited and enthusiastic as you are.

No one's body is up for comment. No matter how small, how curvy, how round, how flat. If you love you, then I love you.

I love having boyfriends. I love dating. I do not want a husband in my house.

I actually really love Twitter - I used to feel angry and insulted when people criticised me or the shows, but now I don't take it too seriously. What I do love is that there's this great direct line to fans.

I'm just obsessed with 'Game of Thrones,' especially Arya Stark. And I love 'Orange is the New Black,' although I just want to inhale that all at once. I keep trying to stretch it out, but it's so hard.

You can't tell stories and really walk in someone's shoes and not have a love for them, even if they're doing horrible things.

I have so much going on inside my head in terms of writing, there's such a large space in my life taken up by that. I can't imagine it being taken up by a husband and children and writing, and everything getting its due. I don't believe there is room for all of it. I really don't.

The way I write my shows, every character is its own organic thing. No character has a life at all until I see it played by somebody.

If we're not shooting, if we're not filming, if you're not standing on the soundstage, turn off your phone and go live your life.

There have to be practical steps. There's no point in holding out for a magic door because there are no magic doors. You can dream your life away or actually do what you dream of doing. That's the most valuable advice I can give.

Writing for television is completely different from movie scriptwriting. A movie is all about the director's vision, but television is a writer's medium.

I actually like being alone. I spend most evenings reading and taking long baths.