Elmore John Leonard Jr. was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.
Among his best-known works are Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Swag, Hombre, Mr. Majestyk, and Rum Punch . Leonard's writings include short stories that became the films 3:10 to Yuma and The Tall T, as well as the FX television series Justified. Wikipedia
“I leave out the parts that people skip.”
When asked about the popularity of his detective novels, quoted by William Zinsser, A Family of Readers Book-of-the-Month Club (1986)
"Making It Up as I Go Along", AARP Magazine 52 (4A), July/August 2009
Variant: Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”
Newsweek (April 22, 1985)
Source: Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing
Source: Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing
“It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does.”
Elmore Leonard book Freaky Deaky
Source: Freaky Deaky
Elmore Leonard book The Big Bounce
Jack Ryan, The Big Bounce (1969)
“What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.”
Elmore Leonard book Be Cool
Darryl, Be Cool (1999)
"Making It Up as I Go Along", AARP Magazine 52 (4A), July/August 2009
