I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it. Elmore Leonard More Quotes by Elmore Leonard More Quotes From Elmore Leonard There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much. Elmore Leonard millions people A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters. Elmore Leonard paper matter writing It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. Elmore Leonard invisible stories writing I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin crime, you may as well find a job. Elmore Leonard good-times may jobs Skip the boring parts. Elmore Leonard skip boring If work was a good thing, the rich would have it all and not let you do it. Elmore Leonard rich good-things ifs My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Elmore Leonard important sound writing Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. Elmore Leonard exclamation-points writing two I don't want the reader to be aware of me as the writer. Elmore Leonard reader want writing Avoid prologues: they can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. Elmore Leonard prologue annoying introduction 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 good-day four writing 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 lines reading writing I've quit writing screenplay [adaptations]. It's too much work. I don't look at writing a novel as work, because I only have to please myself. I have a good time sitting here by myself, thinking up situations and characters, getting them to talk - it's so satisfying. But screenwriting's different. You might think you're writing for yourself, but there are too many other people to please. Elmore Leonard writing character thinking I won't read a book that starts with a description of the weather. I don't read books over 300 pages, though I'll make an exception for Don Delillo. Elmore Leonard pages weather book To me, a book is a book, an electronic device is not, and love of books was the reason I started writing. Elmore Leonard and-love writing book Never use the words 'suddenly' or 'all hell broke loose.' Elmore Leonard broke hell use 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 please writing book Never use an adverb to modify the verb 'said' . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. Elmore Leonard verbs use writing 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 writing ideas thinking I get letters. I get several a week, I think. A lot of people want a picture, a lot of people just want an autograph. Elmore Leonard letters people thinking
