--- title: 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard | TIME description: Elmore Leonard is one of America's best crime writers. In his latest project, Leonard will executive produce the FX drama Justified. He answers reader questions here canonical: https://time.com/video/p9MGvzbU/ og:title: 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard og:description: Elmore Leonard is one of America's best crime writers. In his latest project, Leonard will executive produce the FX drama Justified. He answers reader questions here og:url: https://time.com/video/p9MGvzbU/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/p9MGvzbU/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard twitter:description: Elmore Leonard is one of America's best crime writers. In his latest project, Leonard will executive produce the FX drama Justified. He answers reader questions here twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/p9MGvzbU/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard [Watch (HLS stream): 10 Questions for Elmore Leonard](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/p9MGvzbU.m3u8) (6:33)  _Published 2010-03-18. Elmore Leonard is one of America's best crime writers. In his latest project, Leonard will executive produce the FX drama Justified. He answers reader questions here_ --- Jul 27, 2023 1:21 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [In Memoriam: Leonard Nimoy](/video/GmX3Znwo/) ### In Memoriam: Leonard Nimoy [Leonard Nimoy Reveals COPD Diagnosis From Smoking](/video/qH3NZ3fT/) ### Leonard Nimoy Reveals COPD Diagnosis From Smoking [Trailer: Justified on FX](/video/7IWc6ufS/) ### Trailer: Justified on FX --- ## Transcript >> I'm Steven Gray, Time Magazine's Detroit correspondent. And I'm here with one of America's most prolific crime novelist, Elmore Leonard. Elmore, thanks for joining us. >> My pleasure. >> Our first question comes from Ben Doty in Sycamore, Illinois and he asked, " Of the films based on your novels, which is your favorite ?" >> I say Jackie Brown, which Tarantino did. I think it's the closest adaptation of the book. He surprised me. I thought he might be all over the place when he's gonna make the picture. The book was Rum Punch and this stayed very, very close to the plot all the way and used credibility of the dialogue. >> Any other favorites? >> Going way back, I like Hombre with Paul Newman and I liked Valdez is Coming, Burt Lancaster. Two of mine had been done twice, 3: 10 to Yuma in 1956 and again last year, The Big Bounce in '69 where I said, " This must be about the second worst movie ever made ." Then again, about 2004, I say and then, that became the worst picture I had ever seen. >> Because? >> It was Tom-- you didn't know what was going on. >> Kevin Ferriter in Helena, Montana asked, " How do you feel about authors who refused to have their published works be adapted in the films ?" >> I think they're crazy. >> Because? >> It could be good. >> And profitable >> And profitable. Sure. The best thing. The movie they're gonna make is gonna be good then sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't, so it doesn't-- it could be any kind of a mood. You know, either it was good or it wasn't, you know. >> Uh huh. Lindsey Markham from Sugar Land, Texas asked, " How does Detroit rate as a " lit noir" city? And what about it is inspiring to you ?" >> Well, I've lived here since 1934. I've used Detroit because I lived here, because I remember parts of it that were important in the past and I know the city that Detroit is perfect for me. Once I got down to the 1300 Beaubien Police Headquarters and was introduced a homicide squad, Squad 7, this was because the Detroit News wanted me to do a Sunday piece on homicide. Now, I spent three weeks with Squad 7. This was the hot squad at that time. To me it was fascinating. This is the real thing. And they'd call me in the evening, " We've got a homicide ," and give me the location and I'd meet them there and watch what was going on. So, I'll make a couple of arrests. >> Chen Peng from Beijing asked, " How do you write your novels? By computer, type writer, by hand ?" >> By hand. >> Explain the process, please. >> Every word is written by hand. I mean, when I start to re- type again, I mean, I write by hand and then say I'll write a scene and perhaps maybe not able to finish the scene but I've ran out of things to say so then I'll type it. Put it on my electric typewriter, but it took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. >> To-- >> And I like to bang the keys, you know. I'm doing action stories. >> Do you use the computer at all? >> No, I don't have one. I don't have e- mail or anything like that. >> No e- mail. >> I have a fax machine. >> Usman Hotiana in Lahore, Pakistan asked, " If you were to carry out one perfect crime, what would it be ?" >> Oh, I'd probably rob a bank because it's probably easiest. >> You think? >> I think so. >> Why? >> Well, if someone asks you for money then shows a threat in some way, you're supposed to give them the money. You can give them a dye pack. You can give them, you know, something that will get them caught, but you should give them money. >> Do you ever catch yourself plotting around in characters rather than letting them tell their own story? >> They're gonna tell their own story. They're gonna tell who they are. I don't mean tell, they're gonna who they are. That will become part of the plot. They are all one. >> But at that point, do you know you've got the " it" character, you know, once your " Aha" moment-- >> Yeah, once I get a character, I think I can-- there are places to go with the character, you know, 'cause I make up my book as I go along. I like to always use the character's point of view and leave me out of it. I don't want-- I'm not gonna use a word that my characters wouldn't use or know, you know, 'cause I can't write in a literary way where my sound is what you're reading. The important thing to me is the way I write, the way I let things flow, the way I let ideas come along, the way I will maybe spend three pages on a scene and I think, you know what you're doing? You're writing. You're trying to write instead of just approaching it differently. Get a different attitude and then all of a sudden I get into it and it starts to flow in a way that I know will work and keep going, you know. >> Well sir, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it so much. >> Sure, thank you. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"10 Questions for Elmore Leonard","description":"Elmore Leonard is one of America's best crime writers. In his latest project, Leonard will executive produce the FX drama Justified. He answers reader questions here","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/p9MGvzbU/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2010-03-18T15:39:34.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/p9MGvzbU.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/video/p9MGvzbU/","duration":"PT6M33S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/video/p9MGvzbU/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}} ```