I have never produced anything good except by a long succession of slight efforts.

The bad novelist constructs his characters; he directs them and makes them speak. The true novelist listens to them and watches them act; he hears their voices even before he knows them.

Do not scorn little victories.

Obtain from yourself all that makes complaining useless. No longer implore from others what you yourself can obtain.

What I dislike least in my former self are the moments of prayer.

There's a law in life: whenever a door closes, a new one will open.

Not everyone can be an orphan.