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 barrybookdescribe Change image and share on social
Really, when I write a book I'm the only one I have to please. That's the beauty of writing a book instead of a screenplay. Elmore Leonard beautybookscreenplay Change image and share on social
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 entertainfeelpurpose Change image and share on social
I'm not aware of a cadence when writing, but I hear it after. I write in longhand, and that helps. You're closer to it, and you have to cross things out. You put a line through it, but it's still there. You might need it. When you erase a line on a computer, it's gone forever. Elmore Leonard awarecadenceclose share on social
If you take a few days to write an outline, you're just making up scenes that you think will work, that you think will be interesting. But as you write it, other ideas occur - better ideas that have to do with what you're writing. Elmore Leonard dayideainterest share on social
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 daygoodpage Change image and share on social
The bad guys are the fun guys. The only people I have trouble with are the so-called normal types. Their language isn't very colorful, and they don't talk with any certain sound. Elmore Leonard badcallcolorful Change image and share on social
Writing screenplays is not my business. I've written half a dozen, and maybe half of those were made. But it was never a satisfying experience. It was just work. You're an employee. You would be told what to do. Studio execs would cross out my dialogue and put in their dialogue. Elmore Leonard businesscrossdialogue share on social
I don't want to write any more screenplays, I'll tell you that right now. It's a waste of time. You've got too many people who think they have the answer to a good screenplay and they don't. No one knows. Elmore Leonard answergoodhave share on social
I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they're so good. He doesn't waste any words. Elmore Leonard goodhemingwayread Change image and share on social
