Writing What Sounds Good: How Elmore Leonard Can Make You a Better Academic Writer

Elmore Leonard is a godfather of hardboiled crime fiction. He wrote dozens of books, many of which were turned into movies and TV Shows (Get Shorty, Be Cool, Killshot). But, in addition to his beloved stories of the seedy underworld, Leonard was also acclaimed for his lean and readable prose. In fact, one of Leonard's protips for writers is: "If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."

Leonard's work translates to the silver screen

I've been reading a lot of Leonard and believe that there are many things that we (academic writers) can learn from the old maestro. In addition to avoiding adverbs and detailed descriptions of people, Leonard says that good writing should have a good rhythm. In this interview (around 3:43), Leonard compares writing to music-making. It should sound good.

On a similar note, I encourage my students to read their writing out loud. I've been doing this for a couple years and find that it helps me revise my work. At the most basic level, it helps me figure out where I'm over-writing. A sentence is too long if you run out of breath while reading it.

Give it a try. Certain sentences will roll off the tongue. Others will sound clunky or confusing. Keep the sentences that flow and ditch those that sound confusing. This little exercise will help you write more clearly and it will shave words off of your bloated R&R or manuscript-in-progress. Please like and share your own tips for writing!

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