Elmore Leonard quotes

Elmore Leonard was an American novelist acclaimed for his distinctive crime and suspense novels. His sharp dialogue, gritty realism, and memorable characters set his work apart in modern fiction. He influenced generations of writers and continues to be celebrated for his contributions to popular literature. Here are 39 of his quotes:

What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.

Elmore Leonard

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Elmore Leonard

My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: When you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.

Elmore Leonard

It's like seeing someone for the first time, and you look at each other for a few seconds, and there's this kind of recognition like you both know something. Next moment the person's gone, and it's too late to do anything about it.

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 a pleasure.

Elmore Leonard

For a long time I've been walking down life's road with my two pals, Bad Luck and Bad Choices. Fortunately I'm a big believer in new beginnings, new friends, and running from my problems. So one day I decided to head for the island. Aloha, my name is Jack.

Elmore Leonard

I spent most of my dough on booze, broads and boats and the rest I wasted.

Elmore Leonard

There are cities that get by on their good looks, offer climate and scenery, views of mountains or oceans, rockbound or with palm trees. And there are cities like Detroit that have to work for a living.

Elmore Leonard

I don't believe in writer's block or waiting for inspiration. If you're a writer, you sit down and write.

Elmore Leonard

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

It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to sound like it does.

Elmore Leonard

I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy.

Elmore Leonard

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.

Elmore Leonard

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.

Elmore Leonard

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'.

Elmore Leonard

I left advertising as fast as I could in 1961. And I haven't ever thought about going back.

Elmore Leonard

I once saw Dizzy Gillespie at a live show, and it made me want to go home immediately and start writing.

Elmore Leonard

There are some people who have been reading me for years, and they keep saying kind things about the writing. That's what you're writing for, to get people to respond to it.

Elmore Leonard

A friend of mine who is in the publishing business knew I was writing a book, and he said, 'Have you said anything yet about the good guy? Because I know you spend so much time with the bad guys.' Because they're fun. So then you have to make the good guy fun, in order to compete. That's the challenge.

Elmore Leonard

To me, a book is a book, an electronic device is not, and love of books was the reason I started writing.

Elmore Leonard

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

Elmore Leonard

There are 500 million people on Facebook, but what are they saying to each other? Not much.

Elmore Leonard