If I just sit here, what am I going to do? I don't have a trade. I don't teach or anything. I just love to make up characters and gradually build a story around them.

Next quotes

• Elmore Leonard:

  To me, writing is the most fun. It's not always fun, but finally when you make it come out the way

• Elmore Leonard:

  I do this a lot with names. I'll start with a name, and then for some reason he won't talk much, or

• Elmore Leonard:

  I decided to write Westerns because there was a terrific market for Westerns in the '50s. There wer

• Elmore Leonard:

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

• Elmore Leonard:

  A friend of mine who is in the publishing business knew I was writing a book, and he said, 'Have yo

• Elmore Leonard:

  When I get an idea for a book, something appeals to me, it's usually a character. I'll see a pictur

• Elmore Leonard:

  Everyone has his own sound. I'm not going to presume how to tell anybody how to write.

• Elmore Leonard:

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

• Elmore Leonard:

  I would say just start writing. You've got to write every day. Copy someone that you like if you th

• Elmore Leonard:

  If you take a few days to write an outline, you're just making up scenes that you think will work,