Writing Wisdom I Learned By Watching Movies
I had no experience writing a cohesive book when I decided to write a memoir. Sure, I journaled daily and read memoirs and autobiographies that inspired me (Priest Daddy, Furiously Happy, When the Caged Bird Sings, Hunger, Revolution from Within). Still, I had no idea what the daily life of a writer looked like. Part of my research included watching movies.
Most of the films I watched had fine screenwriting, creative content, immersive scenery, and decent acting. I’ve listed a few favorites at the end of this post. But one of them, in particular, a cautionary tale about the life of writer Lee Israel, affected me profoundly.
Can You Ever Forgive Me is a 2018 movie based on writer Lee Israel’s 2008 memoir of the same title. Memoirs, unlike autobiographies, generally cover a specific period in a person’s life, and this movie focuses on Israel’s fall from fame to forgery in the early 2000s. The film mirrors the memoir to perfection.
I stumbled upon the book (after I saw the movie) in one of those quaint, free libraries scattered in residential neighborhoods. A slim soft cover of 129 pages, I read it over an afternoon and admired the memoir for its brevity, erudite writing, and beguiling mix of humor and tragedy.
Israel was a writer who “plummeted from best-seller stardom to welfare” (Israel, 19), played exquisitely in the film by actor Melissa McCarthy. At the height of her career, she was on the New York Times Bestseller List, a regular invitee to publishing parties, and living on book advances which she burned on long lunches and libations. “I was imprudent with money and Dionysian to the quick. Having worked so long and hard on the last book, I took many months off to play.” (15)
When the advances dwindled, her publisher refused calls, and her cat needed a vet, Israel resorted to desperate measures to make ends meet. She used her research acumen and literary expertise to forge “TLS” (typed letters signed) from celebrities like Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward, and Louise Brooks and fenced them to antiquarian book dealers in New York.
When I worked as a gallerist, I saw several successful artists ride high on the hog while their art was hot and then crumble into oblivion when no one wanted their paintings, sculptures, or photos anymore. They blamed their galleries, the collectors, and even the weather: anyone or anything but themselves. Many, like Israel, were irascible introverts and often self-destructive, self-loathing, or both. They weren't interested in a ‘degrading desk job,’ they said while I sat behind my desk.
For many years Israel had “never known anything but ‘up’” (12) in her career or received a single rejection letter. Planning for her future was not something she considered. Watching the film and reading the book taught me several lessons about a writer's life.
Perseverance and Discipline
Be accountable and focused on your career. Even though Israel was able to live off the advances from her books for a while, eventually, the well ran dry, and she was broke and couldn't pay rent. When her industry-expensive style of heavily researched non-fiction biographies fell out of favor, Israel thought her writer’s pedigree would make getting a day job easy. She was entirely unprepared for the reality that she’d erred in her thinking and ended up on welfare before turning to crime.
Clarify your career goals
Many creatives (writers, artists, musicians) resist goal setting, but I have witnessed and experienced the benefits of planning your career. There are numerous resources (books, podcasts, blogs) on this process. You can check out this list on my website. Though most of the resources refer to art—writing is an art.
Know your core values and stand by them
“If you don't stick to your values when they're being tested, they're not values: they're hobbies.” (Jon Stewart) Though Israel never duplicated verbatim the letters she faked, she still committed punishable crimes through theft and forgery. In the end, she was barred from the academic research libraries she loved and placed under house arrest. As a writer, would you rather be famous or infamous?
Be prepared for change
Each era has its defining characteristics, aka Zeitgeist. Sometimes your writing will land on what people are interested in right now, but tomorrow this could change. What’s your plan when your style/subject matter has run its course and collectors or followers are ready for something new?
Find Your Tribe
Who’s on your support team? Write Or Die Tribe is an excellent resource, and so are salons, writing groups, coaches, and mentors. Find people you trust who will read your writing, provide honest feedback and still be your friend!
Be Impeccable with your word
A lesson borrowed from The Four Agreements. Be mindful of shunning fellow writers who get published before you. Don’t compare and despair. Celebrate each other's success.
Interested in more films about writers? Here’s a list to get started.
Sylvia, Adaptation, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, The Hours, Midnight in Paris, An Angel at my Table, Stranger than Fiction, Iris, Out of Africa, Henry and June, Impromptu, Shakespeare in Love, Let Them All Talk.
Add your favorites in the comments!
