Joe Eszterhas Writers On Writing

Joe Eszterhas Writers On Writing

by Joe Wallace

Transparency alert–I have NOT read this book yet. But if it’s ANYTHING at all like Eszterhas’s The Devil’s Guide To Hollywood, which was a rough-n-ready how-to for apsiring screenwriters, Joe Eszterhas Writers On Writing should be a very entertaining, inspirational read.

Eszterhas was the bad boy of Hollywood–he wrote Basic Instinct, Jade, Burn Hollywood Burn, plus the controversial (and insipid) Showgirls. He’s the stuff of legend–telling his employers where to stick it at every turn when they tried to tell him how to do his work (these were not fellow writers, mind you–sound familiar?).

In spite of his wild man status, even the most sainted among us can find some inspiration from Eszterhas for one simple reason–his ultimate philosophy is simple. YOU are the writer, NEVER give up, and don’t let people who don’t know the game tell you what the rules are. That’s the sort of tough-mindedness you need to survive in the biz whether you’re writing for Associated Content or for Stevie Spielberg.

It should be pointed out that this time, Eszterhas isn’t the one behind the pen–he’s being interviewed by Stephen Farber. This book is part of a series by the Writers Guild Foundation, so it’s a bit different in style and tone than Joe Eszterhas’s titles like Hollywood Animal and The Devil’s Guide to Hollywood.