Ten Rules in Ten Days - Rule 1: Don't open with the weather

Thriller and mystery writer Elmore Leonard, who passed away on August 20, 2013 at the age of 87, is known for his “Ten Rules for Writing Fiction.” This is the first of a series called, “Ten Rules in Ten Days,” where on ten separate days I will present and briefly discuss one of the rules.

Rule No. 1: Never open a book with weather. If it's only to create atmosphere, and not a character's reaction to the weather, you don't want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for peop...