Terry Rossio story

Yesterday we featured this interview with screenwriters Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. That led this email from Matt (Luzid):

Caught your post about T&T (fantastic writing duo, those two) and I was compelled to share a personal story about Terry’s kindness that changed my life for the better.

It’s detailed in a letter I wrote him, posted on their website in their “Hall of Fame” section (the original thread, also in the HoF, is linked within the post):

The letter is here. An excerpt:

It might be a hazy memory to you now, but six years ago you offered me a strong bit of needed advice — words that struck me and turned my eyes to a path I’d lost in the scramble to ‘make it’.

“What you need to fall in love with is *story.*”

Fall in love with story. That’s it, isn’t it? That something that drew us to writing movies in the first place? A simple, pure motivation: We love stories. 

Yet how easy to get caught up in:

…The pressure to finish that script.
…The pressure to write a great script.
…Upheaval about that roiling unknown called Hollywood.
…The psychological investment we make in being a success as a writer.
…What if I’m no good?’
…What if I don’t make it?

And on and on and on, all those ‘voices’ in a neverending loop in our mind.

What Terry was telling Matt was — go back to basics.
Go back to the very thing that drew you to writing.
If you never had it, find it.
If you you’ve lost it, find it again.

Fall in love with story.

Sometimes, like Matt, we have to step back, even away from writing to find our passion again.

Read Matt’s letter, then ask yourself:
Where is my love for story?

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