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Meg Waite Clayton

Author of the international bestsellers The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and 6 other novels

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August 20, 2013 By Meg Waite Clayton

Writing Advice and Inspiration from Elmore Leonard (1925 – 2013): #10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

I heard on NPR this morning that Elmore Leonard passed away, and immediately thought of his wonderfully funny – and simply wonderful – 10 Tips for Writers. What I didn’t know until I read it in his obituary in The New York Times is his path as a writer. Bottom line:
His breakthrough novel: #25, Glitz
What he had to say about it: “After writing almost anonymously” for decades “I am what you call an overnight success.”
This is a short version of his 10 Tips for Writers (actually 11):
coffeeandjournal1. 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.”
5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
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.
And lastly, his most important rule – “one that sums up the 10”:
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
I’d love to have you leave a comment on which tip is your favorite. The more detailed list of the 10 in “WRITERS ON WRITING; Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle” in the New York Times is well worth reading. – Meg

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Filed Under: Meg's Posts, Writing Quotes and Other Literary Fun, Writing Tips

Meg Waite Clayton


Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of eight novels, including the Good Morning America Buzz pick and New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS, the National Jewish Book Award finalist THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON, the Langum-Prize honored THE RACE FOR PARIS, and THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Essential Best Friend Novels of all time. Her novels have been published in 23 languages. She has also written more than 100 pieces for major newspapers, magazines, and public radio, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. megwaiteclayton.com

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