And she thought if you don't have the desire to fight or wait for something there's no reason for being on earth.

— Elmore Leonard

At the bottom of the hill they came out of the trees to a busy street and Antwan said, "We cross here." "Ain't no lights here," Antwan said. "Just look out for the ones trying to hit you. There's a nice-looking blonde-haired female human lives around here - any time she sees me she tries to run me down.

— Elmore Leonard

But he could never be a made guy himself because of his tainted blood, some Sunset Park Puerto Rican on his father's side, even though he was raised Italian. Chili didn't care to be made anyway, get into all that bullshit having to do with respect. It was bad enough having to treat these guys like they were your heroes, smile when they made some stupid remark they thought was funny.

— Elmore Leonard

I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.

— Elmore Leonard

I can write anywhere. But I don't use a computer, and I could never write on a laptop. I hate the sound of computers; it's too dull, like it's not doing anything for you.

— Elmore Leonard

I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.

— Elmore Leonard

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it

— Elmore Leonard

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

— Elmore Leonard

I'm very much aware in the writing of dialogue, or even in the narrative too, of a rhythm. There has to be a rhythm with it … Interviewers have said, you like jazz, don’t you? Because we can hear it in your writing. And I thought that was a compliment.

— Elmore Leonard

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.

— Elmore Leonard