--- title: "16 Years Quotes By Junot Diaz" description: "16 Years quotes by Junot Diaz. Plus more from Junot Diaz and more Years sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/junot-diaz-531_sixteen_it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write-12134_12134.jpg" --- > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/junot-diaz-531_sixteen_it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write-12134_12134.jpg) > [I act most like myself... when I'm in my hometown, Santo Domingo. I try to get there about five times a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-act-most-like-myself-when-i-m-in-my-hometown-santo-domingo-i-try-to/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/junot-diaz-531_five_i-act-most-like-myself-when-i-m-in-my-ho_2763274.jpg) > [You never forget the discovery years. First kisses. The first time you try certain foods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-never-forget-the-discovery-years-first-kisses-the-first-time-you/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/junot-diaz-531_certain_you-never-forget-the-discovery-years-fir_1696554.jpg) > [But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anything-it-is-this-you-can-never/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/junot-diaz-531_introspection_but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anythi_2082998.jpg) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/junot-diaz-531_dated_you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does_13534.jpg) > [What else she doesn't know: that the man next to her would end up being her husband and the father of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/what-else-she-doesn-t-know-that-the-man-next-to-her-would-end-up/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/junot-diaz-531_children_what-else-she-doesn-t-know-that-the-man_3026310.jpg) > [Beli at thirteen believed in love like a seventy-year-old widow who's been abandoned by family, husband, children and fortune believes in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/beli-at-thirteen-believed-in-love-like-a-seventy-year-old-widow-who-s/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/junot-diaz-531_abandoned_beli-at-thirteen-believed-in-love-like-a_2779756.jpg) > [Sucks to be left out of adolescence, sort of like getting locked in the closet on Venus when the sun appears for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/sucks-to-be-left-out-of-adolescence-sort-of-like-getting-locked-in/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/junot-diaz-531_adolescence_sucks-to-be-left-out-of-adolescence-sort_575302.jpg) > [I don't think I could have tackled 'The Pura Principle' until now. It takes me about twenty years to come to term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-pura-principle-until-now-it/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/junot-diaz-531_about_i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-p_1979011.jpg) > [It took me 11 years to struggle through one dumb book, and every day you just want to give up. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-11-years-to-struggle-through-one-dumb-book-and-every-day/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/junot-diaz-531_art_it-took-me-11-years-to-struggle-through_1419012.jpg) > [You know, I was a kid who had difficulty speaking English when I first immigrated. But in my head, when I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-know-i-was-a-kid-who-had-difficulty-speaking-english-when-i-first/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/junot-diaz-531_book_you-know-i-was-a-kid-who-had-difficulty_466655.jpg) > [We're on speaking terms today. I say, Maybe we should hang out with the boys, and you shake your head. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/we-re-on-speaking-terms-today-i-say-maybe-we-should-hang-out-with-the/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/junot-diaz-531_arms_we-re-on-speaking-terms-today-i-say-mayb_654588.jpg) > [In '94, I started writing a novel about an enormous terrorist act that destroyed the United States. The novel takes place twenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/in-94-i-started-writing-a-novel-about-an-enormous-terrorist-act-that/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/junot-diaz-531_books_in-94-i-started-writing-a-novel-about-an_92373.jpg) > [ Part of it is eight years of a black president, and white America still lost their \[minds\] about that. Part of it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/part-of-it-is-eight-years-of-a-black-president-and-white-america/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/junot-diaz-531_america_part-of-it-is-eight-years-of-a-black-pre_2221777.jpg) > [But it's clear to me that us slow-poke writers are a dying breed. It's amazing how thoroughly my young writing students have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/but-it-s-clear-to-me-that-us-slow-poke-writers-are-a-dying-breed-it-s/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/junot-diaz-531_artistic_but-it-s-clear-to-me-that-us-slow-poke-w_1732526.jpg) > [On the outside, Oscar simply looked tired, no taller, no fatter, only the skin under his eyes, pouched from years of quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/on-the-outside-oscar-simply-looked-tired-no-taller-no-fatter-only-the/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/junot-diaz-531_air_on-the-outside-oscar-simply-looked-tired_1621096.jpg) ## Other authors on Years ## More by Junot Diaz > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth, you love them more than you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/tell-her-that-you-love-her-hair-that-you-love-her-skin-her-lips/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The one thing about being a dude and writing from a female perspective is that the baseline is, you suck. The baseline is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-one-thing-about-being-a-dude-and-writing-from-a-female/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I used to think those were the barrio rules, Latinos and blacks in, whites out —a place we down cats weren’t supposed to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-used-to-think-those-were-the-barrio-rules-latinos-and-blacks-in/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I put my hand on her knee. I just wish you'd say you love me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-put-my-hand-on-her-knee-i-just-wish-you-d-say-you-love-me/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're Dominican only if you do this, this, and that. And if you do this and that, you'll be accepted to a certain degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-re-dominican-only-if-you-do-this-this-and-that-and-if-you-do-this/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Ramfis fled the country after Trujillo's death, lived dissolutely off his father's swag, and ended up dying in a car crash of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ramfis-fled-the-country-after-trujillo-s-death-lived-dissolutely-off/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-didn-t-grow-up-like-i-did-then-you-don-t-know-and-if-you-don-t/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-ask-me-i-don-t-think-there-are-any-such-things-as-curses-i/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The only difference between a published and unpublished writer is a tolerance for imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-only-difference-between-a-published-and-unpublished-writer-is-a/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/junot-diaz/#itemlist", "name": "16 Years Quotes By Junot Diaz", "numberOfItems": 16, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It took me sixteen years to write.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Junot Diaz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/junot-diaz-531_sixteen_it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write-12134_12134.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/junot-diaz-531_sixteen_it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write-12134_12134.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/junot-diaz-531_sixteen_it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write-12134_12134.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It took me sixteen years to write.” — Junot Diaz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I act most like myself... when I'm in my hometown, Santo Domingo. 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You never get over it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Junot Diaz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/junot-diaz-531_dated_you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does_13534.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/junot-diaz-531_dated_you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does_13534.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/junot-diaz-531_dated_you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does_13534.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. 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It takes me about twenty years to come to term with any difficult period in my life, to get enough of a grasp on it to fictionalize it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Junot Diaz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-pura-principle-until-now-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/junot-diaz-531_about_i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-p_1979011.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/junot-diaz-531_about_i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-p_1979011.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/junot-diaz-531_about_i-don-t-think-i-could-have-tackled-the-p_1979011.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think I could have tackled 'The Pura Principle' until now. It takes me about twenty years to come to…” — Junot Diaz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It took me 11 years to struggle through one dumb book, and every day you just want to give up. 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I…” — Junot Diaz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In '94, I started writing a novel about an enormous terrorist act that destroyed the United States. The novel takes place twenty years after this destruction, with all the stuff that we're dealing with now - a dirty war, the disappeared, the concept of terrorism. 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