“Life comes before literature, as the material always comes before the work.”

“Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.”

“The material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you, including yourself.”

“Before i knew the best part of my life had come, it had gone….”

“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. […] it's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since.”

“Maybe we've lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them we've found each other… I know I've spent each life before this one searching for you. Not someone like you but you, for your soul and mine must always come together.”

“Fill the brain with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work.”

“Long after the fact, it occurred to me that this was a metaphor for life- blisters come before calluses, vulnerability before maturity- but not even the thickest of skins could have spared us the lash of Daddy's tongue.”

“Sometime, somewhere, life always comes to a fight, and peace always comes to an end.”

“Your strength doesn't come from
winning and luxury.
It comes from
struggles and hardship. Everything that
you go through prepares you for the
next level.
You will be stronger than before!
Don't wish for it.
Work for it.”