--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never open a book with weather. There are…" description: "\"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 c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/elmore-leonard-3471_book_never-open-a-book-with-weather-there-are_2782417.jpg" --- # Never open a book with weather. There are exceptions. If… ![“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.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/elmore-leonard-3471_book_never-open-a-book-with-weather-there-are_2782417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/elmore-leonard-3471_book_never-open-a-book-with-weather-there-are_2782417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/elmore-leonard-3471_book_never-open-a-book-with-weather-there-are_2782417.jpg) > “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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Weather can dominate a story unless the writer deliberately avoids it; seasoned writers like Barry Lopez can turn weather into vivid narrative, but most should focus on plot. **In simple terms:** Avoid letting weather overwhelm your story unless you’re skilled. Key Takeaway Prioritize story over weather details. Themes writing craft weather Mood instructional thoughtful Type educational practical When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - journalism - travel writing Key Concepts narrative focus descriptive language Questions to Reflect On - When does weather enhance a story? - How can you balance description with plot? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on weather can distract readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Eskimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eskimo/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Ice and snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-and-snow/) [Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snow/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) ## Related quotes > [Remember to get the weather in your damn book-weather is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/remember-to-get-the-weather-in-your-damn-book-weather-is-very/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Colder than an Eskimo's outhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/colder-than-an-eskimo-s-outhouse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Apropos of Eskimo, I once heard a missionary describe the extraordinary difficulty he had found in translating the Bible into Eskimo. It was useless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-hamilton/apropos-of-eskimo-i-once-heard-a-missionary-describe-the/) Frederick Hamilton > [You will always find some Eskimo ready to instruct the Congolese on how to cope with heatwaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/you-will-always-find-some-eskimo-ready-to-instruct-the-congolese-on/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [I love... Eskimo Joe's. I have tons of Eskimo Joe's clothes and cups in my house, 'cause I love Eskimo Joe's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-elliott/i-love-eskimo-joe-s-i-have-tons-of-eskimo-joe-s-clothes-and-cups-in/) [Brooke Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-elliott/) > [In place of science, the Eskimo has only magic to bridge the gap between what he can understand and what is not known. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-farb/in-place-of-science-the-eskimo-has-only-magic-to-bridge-the-gap/) [Peter Farb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-farb/) > [“Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?" Priest: "No, not if you did not know." Eskimo:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/eskimo-if-i-did-not-know-about-god-and-sin-would-i-go-to-hell-priest-2/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Although I am a voracious plant predator, one has to realize that there is not a human need for fruits and vegetables: just ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gundry/although-i-am-a-voracious-plant-predator-one-has-to-realize-that/) [Steven Gundry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gundry/) > [“I could be the lone Eskimo, friend of whales and seals." The Panopticon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-fagan/i-could-be-the-lone-eskimo-friend-of-whales-and-seals-the-panopticon/) Jenn Fagan > [It's killing for fun or profit I can't stand. There's a difference between an Eskimo killing a seal for survival and some dumb broad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-blake/it-s-killing-for-fun-or-profit-i-can-t-stand-there-s-a-difference/) [Amanda Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-blake/) > [Eskimo: 'If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?' Priest: 'No, not if you did not know.' Eskimo:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/eskimo-if-i-did-not-know-about-god-and-sin-would-i-go-to-hell-priest/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“The Eskimo has fifty-names for snow because it is important to them; there ought to be as many for love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-eskimo-has-fifty-names-for-snow-because-it-is-important-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“How comes Eskimos haven't turned into icy-cubes? Like ice people?…when they die where do they go? They can't get buried under the grass like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-goody/how-comes-eskimos-haven-t-turned-into-icy-cubes-like-ice-people-when/) Jade Goody > [Marriage is simply an economic necessity, and so there are no elaborate courtship displays or marriage celebrations among the Eskimo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-farb/marriage-is-simply-an-economic-necessity-and-so-there-are-no/) [Peter Farb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-farb/) > [“What are you? From where did you come? I have never seen anything like you.” The Creator Raven looked at Man and was  ……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskimo-creation-myth/what-are-you-from-where-did-you-come-i-have-never-seen-anything-like/) Eskimo creation myth ## More by Elmore Leonard > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. 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It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/there-s-something-happening-here-i-know-it-it-s-right-in-front-of-my/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-line-of-dialogue-belongs-to-the-character-the-verb-is-the-writer/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-try-to-leave-out-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. 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That's all right, it's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/after-58-years-you-d-think-writing-would-get-easier-it-doesn-t-if-you/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/he-saw-harvey-and-edgar-catch-each-other-s-eye-as-he-looked-off/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-m-not-going-to-write-for-posterity-i-m-going-to-write-to-make-a-buck/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/a-wife-s-faithful-to-her-husband-subject-to-him-it-s-in-the-bible/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Try not to write the parts that people skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/try-not-to-write-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-want-the-reader-to-know-what-s-going-on-so-there-s-never-a-mystery/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Explore all 130 Elmore Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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