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Elmore Leonard Quotes

Bad guys are not bad guys twenty-four hours a day Picture Quote #1

When people ask me about my dialogue, I say, ‘Don’t you hear people talking?’ That’s all I do. I hear a certain type of individual, I decide this is what he should be, whatever it is, and then I hear him. Well, I don’t hear anybody that I can’t make talk Picture Quote #1

I leave out the parts that people skip Picture Quote #1

I try to leave out the parts that people skip Picture Quote #1

It’s like seeing someone for the first time, and you look at each other for a few seconds, and there’s this kind of recognition like you both know something. Next moment the person’s gone, and it’s too late to do anything about it Picture Quote #1

There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much Picture Quote #1

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There are cities that get by on their good looks, offer climate and scenery, views of mountains or oceans, rockbound or with palm trees. And there are cities like Detroit that have to work for a living Picture Quote #1

I think any writer is a fool if he doesn’t do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. It’s fun to sit there and think of characters and get them into action, then be paid for it. I can’t believe it when writers tell me ‘I don’t want to show my work to anybody’ Picture Quote #1

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 Picture Quote #1

I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they’re so good. He doesn’t waste any words Picture Quote #1

A friend of mine who is in the publishing business knew I was writing a book, and he said, ‘Have you said anything yet about the good guy? Because I know you spend so much time with the bad guys.’ Because they’re fun. So then you have to make the good guy fun, in order to compete. That’s the challenge Picture Quote #1

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 Picture Quote #1

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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 Picture Quote #1

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 Picture Quote #1

I can write anywhere. But I don’t use a computer, and I could never write on a laptop. I hate the sound of computers; it’s too dull, like it’s not doing anything for you Picture Quote #1

I do this a lot with names. I’ll start with a name, and then for some reason he won’t talk much, or he’s older than I pictured him just because of a name I give him. So then I finally get the right name, and I can’t shut the guy up. This always happens. There’s always a character who gives me trouble that way Picture Quote #1

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 Picture Quote #1

I never know what I’m going to write next. If I’m still writing the book but I’m very near the end, and I begin to think of what I’d like to do next, then I’ll know that what I’m writing is in hand. I’ll think of an ending and it will be fine Picture Quote #1

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Sometimes female characters start out as the wife or girlfriend, but then I realize, ‘No, she’s the book,’ and she becomes a main character. I surrender the book to her Picture Quote #1

I don’t get in a position to be frightened. I don’t do anything dangerous, and I always pay my bills Picture Quote #1

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 Picture Quote #1

Avoid Prologues. They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword Picture Quote #1

Skip the boring parts Picture Quote #1

I try to leave out the parts readers skip Picture Quote #1

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All the information you need can be given in dialogue Picture Quote #1

Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue Picture Quote #1

Using adverbs is a mortal sin Picture Quote #1

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it Picture Quote #1

I don’t want the reader to be aware of me as the writer Picture Quote #1

A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters Picture Quote #1

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Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

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Text Quotes

Bad guys are not bad guys twenty-four hours a day (Elmore Leonard Quotes) When people ask me about my dialogue, I say, ‘Don’t you hear people talking?’ That’s all I do. I hear a certain type of individual, I decide this is what he should be, whatever it is, and then I hear him. Well, I don’t hear anybody that I can’t make talk. (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I leave out the parts that people skip (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I try to leave out the parts that people skip (Elmore Leonard Quotes) It’s like seeing someone for the first time, and you look at each other for a few seconds, and there’s this kind of recognition like you both know something. Next moment the person’s gone, and it’s too late to do anything about it (Elmore Leonard Quotes) There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much (Elmore Leonard Quotes) There are cities that get by on their good looks, offer climate and scenery, views of mountains or oceans, rockbound or with palm trees. And there are cities like Detroit that have to work for a living (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I think any writer is a fool if he doesn’t do it for money. There needs to be some kind of incentive in addition to the project. It all goes together. It’s fun to sit there and think of characters and get them into action, then be paid for it. I can’t believe it when writers tell me ‘I don’t want to show my work to anybody’ (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 (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they’re so good. He doesn’t waste any words (Elmore Leonard Quotes) A friend of mine who is in the publishing business knew I was writing a book, and he said, ‘Have you said anything yet about the good guy? Because I know you spend so much time with the bad guys.’ Because they’re fun. So then you have to make the good guy fun, in order to compete. That’s the challenge (Elmore Leonard Quotes) 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 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 (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 (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I can write anywhere. But I don’t use a computer, and I could never write on a laptop. I hate the sound of computers; it’s too dull, like it’s not doing anything for you. (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I do this a lot with names. I’ll start with a name, and then for some reason he won’t talk much, or he’s older than I pictured him just because of a name I give him. So then I finally get the right name, and I can’t shut the guy up. This always happens. There’s always a character who gives me trouble that way. (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. (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I never know what I’m going to write next. If I’m still writing the book but I’m very near the end, and I begin to think of what I’d like to do next, then I’ll know that what I’m writing is in hand. I’ll think of an ending and it will be fine. (Elmore Leonard Quotes) Sometimes female characters start out as the wife or girlfriend, but then I realize, ‘No, she’s the book,’ and she becomes a main character. I surrender the book to her. (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. (Elmore Leonard Quotes) 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 Quotes) Avoid Prologues. They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword (Elmore Leonard Quotes) Skip the boring parts (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I try to leave out the parts readers skip (Elmore Leonard Quotes) All the information you need can be given in dialogue (Elmore Leonard Quotes) Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue (Elmore Leonard Quotes) Using adverbs is a mortal sin (Elmore Leonard Quotes) If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it (Elmore Leonard Quotes) I don’t want the reader to be aware of me as the writer (Elmore Leonard Quotes) A pen connects you to the paper. It definitely matters (Elmore Leonard Quotes)

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