I mentioned Elmore today while shooting the breeze at Rump's bar, and after I did I looked up his 10 Rules of Writing, as a refresher. When I first started taking writing seriously this guy was my mentor - I didn't know him or anything but I read all of his early novels twice, and both consciously and unconsciously stole a lot of his stylistic tricks. Writing good dialogue is an essential thing I learned from him, but certainly not the only thing.
So here you go. I've learned more about writing from him than anyone else.
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 people.
2. Avoid prologues:
They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword.
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue:
The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But said is far less intrusive than grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”:
… he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control:
You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose”:
This rule doesn’t require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use “suddenly” tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points.
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly:
Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won’t be able to stop.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters:
In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” what do the “American and the girl with him” look like? “She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” That’s the only reference to a physical description in the story, and yet we see the couple and know them by their tones of voice, with not one adverb in sight.
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things:
You don’t want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
As with all such "rules", I'd suggest these are made to be broken as needed. e.g. 9 is probably fine for his kind of fiction but if you're doing worldbuilding for a fantasy story, detailed descriptions become a necessity.
Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner had huge disagreements over how to write, rules of writing, and they despised each other. Yet both have great acclaim.
Hemingway is considered to have written on an 8th grade level. As a dyslexic l've consumed a couple of Hemingway books in a single day. Faulkner is considered to have written on a college level. Faulkner used more words, a greater vocabulary, and was much more descriptive. His books were a project to read.
I enjoyed both authors immensely. Hemingway is required reading in middle school and high school. Faulkner is required reading at university. Academics usually consider Faulkner the greater of the two.
Hemingway generally left punctuation to his editor.
Rules. Whatever works to help you get your best out.
As an avid reader (not just erotica), the first books I throw in the trash after a few pages are the ones that constantly state:
"he said, she said, he said, she said".
Nothing is more annoying, and more devoid of any emotion whatsoever. It becomes even more annoying when it is written after a question. "What time is it?" he said. No - he didn't say it. He ASKED it.
If it sounds like a fifth grader has written it, I'm not likely to read it.
I also absolutely LOVE descriptive books. Nothing pulls you into a world like descriptions (although they do have to be well done, and add to the storyline).
Nora Roberts is a wonderful example. I actually do not like her stories whatsoever. But her writing style (her old one, anyway), was absolutely amazing to me. I had a hard time reading anyone else after that.
Dialog definitely carries the book. But without the setting, the feelings (the senses), the emotions, a story just becomes dull.
I know people tend to be very divided on this. It seems you either like one style or the other.
Very interesting. One thing I have to say is that this is a site where people want to be turned on reading sexy stories so I think it is bettto be graphic and make people excited by what you are writing. IMHO.
All good advice, although I have to respectfully disagree with the third rule.
Only using "said" is such a missed opportunity to paint a vivid picture for the reader. If you're striving for show instead of tell, as we all should, then how did they say it? That gasp, whisper, mumble, spit, snap, shout or any other enlightening verb can really bring the dialogue to life. Done well, you know exactly what the character is feeling without the need for further description.
Otherwise, it's just talking heads. I have to agree with Sylvana, "said" is boring.
Of course, having said that, I recently did an online masterclass with James Patterson who read out a few pages of dialogue he thought was really good... and nothing but "said". Say what you like about him, he's the biggest selling author in the world, so what the hell do I know?
My latest story is a racy little piece about what happens when someone cute from work invites you over to watch Netflix and Chill. 
