Elmore Leonard

I think the best advice I give is to try not to write. Try not to overwrite, try not to make it sound too good. Just use your own voice. Use your own style of putting it down. ”

Really, when I write a book I'm the only one I have to please. That's the beauty of writing a book instead of a screenplay. ”

I do have fun writing, and a long time ago, I told myself, 'You got to have fun at this, or it'll drive you nuts.' ”

I don't want to write any more screenplays, I'll tell you that right now. It's a waste of time. You've got too many people who think they have the answer to a good screenplay and they don't. No one knows. ”

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. ”

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

I don't have any of the modern stuff. I don't have e-mail. I don't have a computer! ”

If you take a few days to write an outline, you're just making up scenes that you think will work, that you think will be interesting. But as you write it, other ideas occur - better ideas that have to do with what you're writing. ”

I really - I don't take my work that seriously, and I think that's what keeps me loose. If I try to write, if I catch myself trying to write, I'll fall right on my face. I'll see it. If I see in the prose that I'm - 'Boy, look at me writing,' I rewrite it. I rewrite it because I don't, because I think it's distracting. ”

If work was a good thing, the rich would have it all and not let you do it. ”