To know oneself, one should assert oneself.
If you think you can do it, you can.
It's always too early to quit.
Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.
Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.
Know or listen to those who know.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
The most effective way to do it, is to do it.
Either you run the day or the day runs you.
Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail.
Perhaps, all writers walk such a line. In general - as we all do in our dreams - I believe I put something of myself into all the characters in my novels, male as well as female.