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Elmore Leonard Quotes


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Quotes by Elmore Leonard

Showing 21-30 of 52 Quotes by Elmore Leonard

I really - I don't take my work that seriously, and I think that's what keeps me loose. If I try to write, if I catch myself trying to write, I'll fall right on my face. I'll see it. If I see in the prose that I'm - 'Boy, look at me writing,' I rewrite it. I rewrite it because I don't, because I think it's distracting.

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: Because Boy Catch Distracting Face Fall Keeps Look Loose Me Myself Prose Really Rewrite Right See Seriously Take Think Try Trying Work Write Writing I Think I See

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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.

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: Becomes Book Character Characters Female Female Characters Girlfriend Her Main Main Character Out Realize She Sometimes Start Surrender Then Wife

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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

Topics: After Aware Closer Computer Cross Erase Forever Gone Hear Helps Line Longhand Might Need Out Put Still Things Through Write Writing You I Write

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Writers - all writers, even screenwriters - like to make their mark. I don't think many screenwriters can write. They pass as writers.

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: All Writers Even Like Make Many Mark Pass Think Write Writers

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The truth is that the writers who most influenced me weren't people categorized as crime writers. I'd say I learned more from John O'Hara, who isn't much read today but whose short stories I really admired, and Hemingway, who I think has lasted pretty good.

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: Admired Categorized Crime Good Hemingway Influenced John Lasted Learned Me More Most Much People Pretty Pretty Good Read Really Say Short Short Stories Stories Think Today Truth Truth Is Were Who Whose Writers I Think

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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

Topics: About Anybody Ask Certain Decide Dialogue He Hear Hear People Him Individual Make Me People Say Should Talk Talking Then Type Well Whatever You

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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

Topics: Barry Book Describe Exceptions Happen Ice More Never Open Reporting Snow Than Want Ways Weather Who You

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

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: Any Because Good He Hemingway His Read Short Short Stories Still Stories Waste Words

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If I just sit here, what am I going to do? I don't have a trade. I don't teach or anything. I just love to make up characters and gradually build a story around them.

~Elmore Leonard

Topics: Am Anything Around Build Characters Going Gradually Here Just Love Make Make Up Sit Story Teach Them Trade Up

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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

Topics: Always Boy Come Finally Fun Make Me Most Out Say Then Want Way Writing You

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Novelist

Born: October 11th, 1925

Links

Find Elmore Leonard on Amazon

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