Elmore Leonard's Rules

1. Never open a book with the 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!  Maybe 2 or 3 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. Same for places and things.
10. Leave out the parts readers tend to skip.

Elmore Leonard