I have learned something very sad today:
Elmore Leonard passed away. At 87, it was to be expected, but it is still sad nevertheless. I have to confess, I was disappointed by
Djibouti, but he wrote so many great crime novels. I still remember discovering him with
Glitz and being blown away. Elmore Leonard had such... I was about to say talent, but this is such a cliché and so ridiculous to say this about a veteran writer, especially such a prolific writer. Leonard has
mastery, skills. He was a maestro of crime fiction. I had wanted to quote his ten rules of writing, I didn't know when, then sadly tonight became the occasion. It sums up why he is so admired:
"
1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."
He also added one to sum up the ten: "
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it." A maestro's words. He will be missed, but his work is immortal (and he wouldn't have forgiven me for this cliché).
1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
Read more at
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/movies/Elmore-Leonards-10-Rules-of-Good-Writing.html#hWkWuKiGWjQv6eMg.99
I have not done this in a whole, so here is today's
reading suggestion: Glitz by Elmore Leonard. The first novel I read
from the master and, like for Stephen King before me, the one that got
me hooked. So what's this about? Lt. Vincent Mora of Miami is
convalescing in Puerto Rico after being shot by a mugger while he was
off duty. There he meets local beauty (and prostitute) Iris, while being
stalked by former convict Teddy Magyk. Teddy is a small-time criminal
and a pathetic loser, he's also a rapist of elderly ladies, a murderer,
in sum a very dangerous man. And he wants to kill the Miami cop who sent
him in. Mora is resilient, but Teddy is relentless. It's a tense cat
and mouse chase where cat and mouse switch roles, the baits are corpses and a true page turner with
character and soul.
