Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gary Goldstein. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
It’s hard to say which writing project I’ve worked on over these many years has been the most meaningful. It’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. So much of my writing work has had its own individual personal value to me and my career –as well as many great memories attached to the experiences. That said, after a career primarily consisting of writing screenplays, teleplays, and stage plays (lots of “play” there!), a few years ago I wrote my first novel, followed immediately by my second. Both attracted a publisher and are now out to the world. They were very different: THE LAST BIRTHDAY PARTY was a Hollywood-set romantic comedy inspired in part by my work life and one of my favorite topics to explore in writing, namely, What brings people together romantically and what splits those same folks apart? It was an awesome piece to write and promote when it was published (August, 2021) and is very close to my heart. My second novel (published October, 2022) is a drama called THE MOTHER I NEVER HAD, also inspired by an incident in my life that I completely reconfigured and fictionalized to tell this story about love, family, and forgiveness. It helped me explore a deeper and, in some ways, darker aspect of relationships–family and otherwise–in a way readers seem to uniquely relate to based on their own lives. I’m hugely proud of these novels and the work it took to create them. So, yes, very meaningful.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I began as a screenwriter writing freelance episodes of various TV shows, then segued into writing feature films, and later, movies for TV and streaming. Along the way I also have written numerous stage plays and the two novels. A few lessons that have helped me over the years are: 1) To never give up if you want to achieve your goal (in this case as a professional writer); success can take time and patience–a lot of it–and if you stop, it’ll never happen. 2) Be flexible and resilient; don’t get stuck in one box. I expanded the writing disciplines I worked in as the opportunities arose and they provided amazing creative and emotional rewards. Still, stay focused and, also importantly, be as good a finisher as you are a starter.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The chance to share my work with a wide number of viewers or readers, and to entertain and maybe even enlighten. If you’re fortunate enough to see your screenwriting (or other types of writing work) picked up and produced for a mass audience, it can be extremely gratifying–creatively, emotionally, spiritually–as a way to communicate with others.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Probably to continue to grow, learn, and improve as a writer from project to project. Despite how many things I’ve worked on over time, there’s always something new to learn and ways to get better at your craft. It’s a constantly evolving business and it’s important to creatively evolve along with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.GaryGoldsteinLA.com
- Instagram: @garygoldsteinLA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gary.goldstein.507
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-goldstein-55746b8/
- Twitter: @garygoldsteinLA