“I only know one story. But oftentimes small pieces seem to be stories themselves.”

“Tell the story as if it were only of interest to the small circle of your characters, of which you may be one. There is no other way to put life into the story.”

“The most important part of a story is the piece of it you don't know.”

“It's strange, isn't it? One small bit of information - a private relationship, something that happened a long time ago - and the whole story seems different.”

“There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot – things are not as they seem.”

“And, of course, people are only interested in themselves. If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen. And I here make a rule- a great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last. The strange and foreign is not interesting- only the deeply personal and familiar.”