Stories Quotes by Elmore Leonard

It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…

— Elmore Leonard

These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather…

— Elmore Leonard

“There’s something happening here, I know it. It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”

— Elmore Leonard

The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.

— Elmore Leonard

“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”

— Elmore Leonard

I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.

— Elmore Leonard

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow…

— Elmore Leonard

I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.

— Elmore Leonard

After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still…

— Elmore Leonard

“He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it…

— Elmore Leonard

I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.

— Elmore Leonard

“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”

— Elmore Leonard

Using adverbs is a mortal sin.

— Elmore Leonard

Try not to write the parts that people skip.

— Elmore Leonard

I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.

— Elmore Leonard