Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
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...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth11 October 1925
CityNew Orleans, LA
CountryUnited States of America
writing stories invisible
It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing.
writing stories sense-of-humor
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.
fun believe character
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'.
block believe inspiration
I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write.
stuff mail computer
I don't have any of the modern stuff. I don't have e-mail. I don't have a computer!
pay bills frightened
I don't get in a position to be frightened. I don't do anything dangerous, and I always pay my bills.
home writing want
I once saw Dizzy Gillespie at a live show, and it made me want to go home immediately and start writing.
waste stories short-story
I still read Hemingway. I still read his short stories because they're so good. He doesn't waste any words.
writing good-day four
I used to be able to write five pages a day, every day, no problem. Now a good day is five or four pages, and that's from 9:30 A.M. until 6 P.M.
book want mystery
I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.
fun writing boys
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.'
character auditions scene
My characters have to talk, or they're out. They audition in early scenes. If they can't talk, they're given less to do, or thrown out.
book writing and-love
To me, a book is a book, an electronic device is not, and love of books was the reason I started writing.
purpose enough please
My purpose is to entertain and please myself. I feel that if I am entertained, then there will be enough other readers who will be entertained, too.