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Never Quotes

Quotes on what never happens.

This page gathers quotes centered on absence and limits - books that stayed unpublished, and a pointed line arguing that secrecy is fundamentally undesirable, merely tolerated when unavoidable. Related reading includes Life Quotes.

Writing is never, ever easy but I wake up every morning grateful for the gift of being able to do this.

Quotes by Guy Gavriel Kay

I never answer, because I can't, which is my favorite among my own books.

Quotes by Guy Gavriel Kay

I never talk about books in progress. I could decide to change it to a series of seafood recipes, after all.

Quotes by Guy Gavriel Kay

There's a level at which, if you take poetry seriously, the focus it involves... that never goes away.

Quotes by Guy Gavriel Kay

I had never been much of a science-fiction or Buck Rogers fan. I was more interested in what was going on right now than in the centuries to come.

Quotes by Gus Grissom

I never did get hit, and neither did any of the leaders that I flew wing for.

Quotes by Gus Grissom

I was insecure and ashamed. Unless you're gay, being gay has never been looked at as being cool. And I wanted to be cool.

Quotes by Gus Kenworthy

I'm not one of those people who can eat whatever I want and never go to the gym. I have to work hard for any results I see.

Quotes by Gus Kenworthy

The only way to really change perceptions, to break down barriers, break down homophobia, is through representation. That's definitely not something I had as a kid. I never saw a gay athlete kissing their boyfriend at the Olympics. I think...

Quotes by Gus Kenworthy

Yeah, Kubrick's a big influence. In something like 'A Clockwork Orange,' he is trying to use the practical light - I mean, at least he says that in his interviews, like they're not using traditionally Hollywood lights. In 'Elephant' we...

Quotes by Gus Van Sant

The reason I know about 'Tomb Raider' is from when I was researching 'Elephant.' It was 1999, and I was trying to research the Columbine-massacre kids, and they had played video games, and I, at the time, had never really...

Quotes by Gus Van Sant

If you're all confidence, you never evolve or take risks. You're just stagnating in your artistry, whatever you're doing.

Quotes by Gustaf Skarsgard

I beg of you... never assume an inner or an outer pose, never a disguise.

Quotes by Gustav Mahler

Never let oneself be guided by the opinion of one's contemporaries. Continue steadfastly on one's way.

Quotes by Gustav Mahler

The artist must be in his work as God is in creation, invisible and all-powerful; one must sense him everywhere but never see him.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

One can be the master of what one does, but never of what one feels.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

One never tires of what is well written, style is life! It is the very blood of thought!

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

The cult of art gives pride; one never has too much of it.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

I was never a true journalist, I was a movie critic.

Quotes by Guillermo Cabrera Infante

I did a show back when I was in high school - so I was about 17 - and it was the first time I was on stage. I never even thought about being an actor before that, but after...

Quotes by Guillermo Diaz

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of quotes are gathered under "Never"?
These quotes explore things that haven't happened, aren't wanted, or weren't anticipated — unpublished books that never found a marketing angle, the idea that secrets are "never desirable" even when needed, and a reflection on how it "never occurred" to anyone that private conversation might need protecting.
Are these quotes mostly about regret?
Not exactly regret, more observation — noticing gaps, oversights, or things that didn't come to pass, like unpublished books or an unanticipated need for privacy protections.
Is there a quote about problem-solving here?
Yes — one notes that "people constantly face problems they've never seen before" and have to improvise solutions, which is a nice contrast to the other, more resigned quotes on this page.
How is "Never" different from <a href="/always-quotes">Always</a> quotes?
They're natural opposites — "Always" quotes are about consistency and long-held habits, while "Never" quotes are about absence, gaps, and things that haven't happened.
What should I read if I want something more upbeat?
Good quotes or Like quotes lean lighter, while "Never" quotes tend to be more contemplative. For a broader reflective read, Life quotes is also worth checking.

Other quotes touch on constitutional rights never explicitly written down, and the constant stream of new problems people have never faced before. See also Always Quotes and Good Quotes.