Laugh is best

Writing can be tough, even if you’ve been doing it for a long time already. Things like writer’s block do happen even with the best of writers, and while the best way to overcome them is to simply continue working, sometimes it doesn’t feel simple at all.

We all have our ups and downs and often all we need is not some more willpower to keep going but a bit of motivation. Sure, one can try to overcome themselves and keep writing despite doesn’t feeling like that at all. But isn’t it better to take a few-hour break from it, find some motivation, and then return to your writing – and actually enjoy the process? It’s not our homework anymore, after all.

For many of us, movies are the best inspiration. They not only tell us stories – they show them in all their vividness, being as illustrative as possible. So here are 10 movies that could inspire you to write a new bestseller.

1. Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Once upon a time a man named Harold Crick start hearing a voice, which seems to narrate his own life, making it look like he’s a character in a novel.

The summary itself is intriguing, of course. But that’s not the only reason you should watch this movie. If you have been writing for a while, you’ve probably experienced this amazing feeling when your characters seem to start acting on their own, dictating you what to write about. This film will remind you of that, also reminding how important it is to not become too attached to your first draft or original plot.

2. Genius (2016)

This is an autobiographical film about Max Perkins – an editor, who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and, finally, Thomas Wolfe. The whole film is about Max’s relationship with Thomas – but not only about that. It also shows the importance and the complexity of the editing process, illustrates writer’s struggles, and demonstrates that’s writing is not only about inspiration but also about hard work.

3. Music and Lyrics (2007)

This romantic comedy is actually about one of the toughest moments in any writer’s life: when you need to create something good while feeling the pressure of a deadline. Though the film is about songwriting, it illustrates any creative writing process very vividly and realistically. You might get some inspiration from it – or simply have a good laugh.

4. Young Adult (2011)

Young adult movie is more about people, who refuse to grow up despite their age. The main character is an author of teen fiction, and while a certain part of the movie is dedicated to her personal relationships, there’s still plenty of things that writers can use for inspiration. For example, you could relate to her struggles with capturing some specific characters and learn something from the methods she uses to understand her audience better.

5. Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

This film illustrates the writers’ struggles brilliantly. Is there any point of writing when you don’t know who’s going to read it? Should we start writing in the first place or should we choose something else to do? Many of us have asked themselves these questions – and this film can help you find the answers. Perfect inspirational pep talk for many writers.

6. Kill Your Darlings (2013)

We often hear that it’s good to learn from the best – well, why don’t we try then? This film allows doing so: it tells us the story of the friendship of Jack Kerouac, Lucien Carr, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs. You’ll be able to see that despite their talent, these writers were ordinary people struggling with their lives and their emotions – just like many of us.

7. Julie & Julia (2009)

This film is about Julie Powell – a blogger, who is committed to making every recipe from the cookbook written by Julia Child and writing about this on her blog. While it’s more about blogging that about book writing, it still shows us how important it is to be consistent in what you do even if it seems no one else cares about it.

8. Barfly (1987)

It’s a semi-autobiographical movie about Charles Bukowski that allows us to take a peek into the author’s life, to experience his downfalls and hardships along with him, and to remember how important it is to not give up even after so many failures. The persistence is often the key when it comes to writing – and this film emphasizes its importance one more time.

9. Misery (1990)

It’s definitely not the brightest film. The main character, Paul Sheldon, is a famous novelist, who’s been writing romance books about a woman called Misery for a while. He became famous for that books but eventually decided to end the series in order to focus on more serious novels. That was until he got into a car accident and found himself trapped in a home of his crazy fan, who refuses to let him go until he rewrites the last book, continuing Misery’s story.

While it does seem pretty grim, the film illustrates how much impact does our writing have on the others. It is also about the importance of listening to yourself and to following your creative impulses no matter what.

10. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Another story about a writer (screenwriter, actually) that, however, takes an unexpected turn. When Gil Pender goes to Paris with his fiancee and her family, he suddenly finds himself going back in time every midnight, meeting cultural heroes of the past.

While we cannot do time-travel (hopefully, yet), we can still try tailoring this technique to our creative process. For example, why not pretend to have a brainstorm with the writers that inspire and influence you? This might seem a bit weird but it could actually help you with your creative struggles a lot – and it boosts your imagination as well.

When we were students, we struggled with essay topics ideas for college. And when we grow up and become writers, it also still could be a struggle sometimes – but, hopefully, you’ll be able to make everything better with the help of these films!

Author’s Bio

Christina Battons is creative writer and content strategist from LA. Currently, I write for various sites. My posts address the topics about self-education, writing, motivation, professional development. In my spare time, I prefer to read novels and crime thriller stories. Feel free to follow me on @battonschristi to ask questions or see my works.

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