“I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.” ~Groucho Marx
I don’t deny that there is a lot of quality programming on TV these days, but the sad fact remains that there is also an over-abundance of trash – but regardless of the quality, or lack thereof, of the show on TV, it will never challenge your imagination the way a book will.
“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” —Ernest Hemingway
My personal opinion is that we are all indeed born “that way”…some of us just need to learn how to bring it out. Some learn in school, some from reading and others by simply doing.
“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
It’s probably the one thing that many readers never think about…but every writer obsesses over – and if a writer does his job, the reader will never know he obsessed.
“The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television.” ~Andrew Ross
Not really much to say about that…
“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” ~Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard began publishing novels in the 50s – – by the mid-70s was releasing a novel a year (sometimes more) pretty much right up to his death in 2013. He is responsible for several great movies and a few TV shows too. His characters seemed as real as anybody you know and he was a master of realistic dialogue.
When he says he leaves out the parts people skip – believe it. The pages of his books practically turn themselves.
If ever there was a piece of sound writing advice from an acknowledged master…this is it.
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