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 LeonardTags: writing creative-process focus
Psychopaths... people who know the differences between right and wrong, but don't give a shit. That's what most of my characters are like.
Elmore LeonardTags: wrong right psychopaths
Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing
1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
The one thing Leonard won't tolerate is fancy prose. As he states in his 10 Rules of Writing: "If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
Elmore LeonardI'm very much aware in the writing of dialogue, or even in the narrative too, of a rhythm. There has to be a rhythm with it … Interviewers have said, you like jazz, don’t you? Because we can hear it in your writing. And I thought that was a compliment.
Elmore LeonardYou never know what somebody might tell you,' Chris said, 'when they think you're somebody else.
Elmore LeonardIt doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does.
Elmore LeonardTags: plausibility
He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it faster than the others or he'd have to get out of here. It was the only song he knew that made him want to break something.
Elmore LeonardAnd she thought if you don't have the desire to fight or wait for something there's no reason for being on earth.
Elmore LeonardTags: inspirational-attitude
I spent most of my dough on booze, broads and boats and the rest I wasted.
Elmore LeonardPage 1 of 4.
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