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Elmore Leonard Quotes

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Elmore Leonard Quotes: "My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: When you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip."

My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: When you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative."

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.




Elmore Leonard Quotes: "The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in."

The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice."

What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.




Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Using adverbs is a mortal sin."

Using adverbs is a mortal sin.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does."

It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "At the time I begin writing a novel, the last thing I want to do is follow a plot outline. To know too much at the start takes the pleasure out of discovering what the book is about."

At the time I begin writing a novel, the last thing I want to do is follow a plot outline. To know too much at the start takes the pleasure out of discovering what the book is about.




Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Everyone has his own sound. I'm not going to presume how to tell anybody how to write."

Everyone has his own sound. I'm not going to presume how to tell anybody how to write.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "All the information you need can be given in dialogue."

All the information you need can be given in dialogue.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Try not to write the parts that people skip."

Try not to write the parts that people skip.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Not dreams but night changes, not destiny but path changes, always keep your hopes alive, luck may or may not change, but time definitely chages."

Not dreams but night changes, not destiny but path changes, always keep your hopes alive, luck may or may not change, but time definitely chages.




Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I do have fun writing, and a long time ago, I told myself, 'You got to have fun at this, or it'll drive you nuts.'"

I do have fun writing, and a long time ago, I told myself, 'You got to have fun at this, or it'll drive you nuts.'



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "There are some people who have been reading me for years, and they keep saying kind things about the writing. That's what you're writing for, to get people to respond to it."

There are some people who have been reading me for years, and they keep saying kind things about the writing. That's what you're writing for, to get people to respond to it.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose."

Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "A man can be in two different places and he will be two different men. Maybe if you think of more places he will be more men, but two is enough for now."

A man can be in two different places and he will be two different men. Maybe if you think of more places he will be more men, but two is enough for now.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin crime, you may as well find a job."

I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin crime, you may as well find a job.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I don't want the reader to be aware of me as the writer."

I don't want the reader to be aware of me as the writer.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Avoid prologues: they can be ­annoying, especially a prologue ­following an introduction that comes after a foreword."

Avoid prologues: they can be ­annoying, especially a prologue ­following an introduction that comes after a foreword.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "If work was a good thing, the rich would have it all and not let you do it."

If work was a good thing, the rich would have it all and not let you do it.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."

My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck."

I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Skip the boring parts."

Skip the boring parts.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Never open a book with weather. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want."

Never open a book with weather. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I don't judge in my books. I don't have to have the antagonist get shot or the protagonist win. It's just how it comes out. I'm just telling a story."

I don't judge in my books. I don't have to have the antagonist get shot or the protagonist win. It's just how it comes out. I'm just telling a story.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue... I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated" and had to stop reading and go to the dictionary."

Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue... I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated" and had to stop reading and go to the dictionary.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I try to leave out the parts readers skip."

I try to leave out the parts readers skip.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still a pleasure."

After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still a pleasure.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters."

A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it."

I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write."

I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I started out of course with Hemingway when I learned how to write. Until I realized Hemingway doesn't have a sense of humor. He never has anything funny in his stories."

I started out of course with Hemingway when I learned how to write. Until I realized Hemingway doesn't have a sense of humor. He never has anything funny in his stories.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style."

I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "My characters have to talk, or they're out. They audition in early scenes. If they can't talk, they're given less to do, or thrown out."

My characters have to talk, or they're out. They audition in early scenes. If they can't talk, they're given less to do, or thrown out.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I used to be able to write five pages a day, every day, no problem. Now a good day is five or four pages, and that's from 9:30 A.M. until 6 P.M."

I used to be able to write five pages a day, every day, no problem. Now a good day is five or four pages, and that's from 9:30 A.M. until 6 P.M.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I once saw Dizzy Gillespie at a live show, and it made me want to go home immediately and start writing."

I once saw Dizzy Gillespie at a live show, and it made me want to go home immediately and start writing.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they're so good. He doesn't waste any words."

I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they're so good. He doesn't waste any words.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Don't worry about what your mother thinks of your language."

Don't worry about what your mother thinks of your language.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing."

It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much."

There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Never use the words 'suddenly' or 'all hell broke loose.'"

Never use the words 'suddenly' or 'all hell broke loose.'



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books."

I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "To me, writing is the most fun. It's not always fun, but finally when you make it come out the way you want, it's then you can say, 'It's fun, boy.'"

To me, writing is the most fun. It's not always fun, but finally when you make it come out the way you want, it's then you can say, 'It's fun, boy.'



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I got halfway through 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' I don't get it at all. What's the big thrill? It's boring."

I got halfway through 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' I don't get it at all. What's the big thrill? It's boring.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "Bad guys are not bad guys twenty-four hours a day."

Bad guys are not bad guys twenty-four hours a day.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "There's nothing like work to take your mind off your worries."

There's nothing like work to take your mind off your worries.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy."

I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too."

My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.



Elmore Leonard Quotes: "I don't get in a position to be frightened. I don't do anything dangerous, and I always pay my bills."

I don't get in a position to be frightened. I don't do anything dangerous, and I always pay my bills.