Meet James Goertel | Author/Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Goertel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I have a personal affirmation I return to again and again: “Time takes time.” It seems to be a version of a favorite quote of mine by the author/screenwriter Jim Harrison: “The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is don’t do it unless you’re willing to give your whole life to it.” The obvious point of both is that if you’re going to pursue anything, creative or otherwise, patience is of the utmost importance in the process and being in for the long haul is an imperative if the goal, dream, or endgame is going to be achieved. I first got into the game of screenwriting twenty-five years ago, green and blissfully ignorant to the long road that lies ahead for most who are trying to crack the Hollywood code. I am now seasoned and no longer deluded by the overnight-success-byline which has launched many a writer with stars in their eyes hoping Tinseltown will give them a wink and a nod. Time takes time, so if you can give your life to your craft and be willing to go back into the mines over and over, then you’ve at least given yourself a fighting chance, especially in what I believe is still one of the toughest towns to make your mark or name.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always been writing, even as a kid. It was mostly for my own entertainment. But in my thirties, I got serious about it and decided I would try my hand at screenplays. I have always loved movies and worked in film and video production, so it just seemed like a natural progression. I was fortunate to have a few early boosters who got behind my first few screenplays and made introductions out in Hollywood. I was thrilled, but also aware it would be no easy road. I just didn’t know it would take a quarter century to get my first big break which came two years ago when Cole Hauser (aka Rip Wheeler on the hit TV series Yellowstone) found a novel I did on a whim and asked me to adapt it into a series. Which I did and which he is now spearheading in Hollywood. It was a long road to get to that lucky break, but my dedication to developing original stories, whether in prose or feature-length scripts, was key. I met the challenge again and again by trying my hand at screenplays, short stories, novellas, and the novel that finally hit pay dirt–Dakota Damned. The lesson of this journey is an easy one: don’t give up. And what I’ve found in the aftermath of this big break, is that people at the highest levels of this industry are responding to my craft and want to be a part of something I created from scratch. Most recently, Hollywood writer/director Georg Gallo (Bad Boys, Midnight Run, Wise Guys) has attached himself to the Dakota Damned series project and wants to write with me! He has been a hero of mine for decades and it is the thrill of my professional life that he is throwing his talent and time behind my brand.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re in Nashville painting the town red with me, here’s the itinerary. We gotta start with drinks at Eddie Ate Dynamite on Music Row–not just because it’s on Music Row which you have to experience and see to believe, but for the name alone. I’m a writer. Sold! Then let’s get a bite at Rippy’s Honky Tonk. Who doesn’t like BBQ and live music? And if you don’t, I’m leaving your a$$ in Brentwood. Now we ate, red meat and more red meat, so let’s head out for some testosterone-fueled action and take in a Predators hockey game. Action, fights, fun, and ice. Nice. Gotta wind down after that hockey free-for-all, Time for a line change as we head out for a nightcap at Robert’s Western World. More music, something to drink, and a hip reason not to think about tomorrow morning.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
With my recent successes and current momentum with my writing in Hollywood, I would like to look back and give a number of shoutouts to some folks for their support, mentorship, and belief over these many years. First and foremost would be a loud and loving one to my wife for standing by me every step of the way, through the thick and thin of it, from disappointment to damned unbelievable triumph.. Another heartfelt acknowledgement goes out to my longtime mentor and booster, Jay Kenoff, Esq., a Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer who, from the beginning, has fowarded and believed in me and my work. Lastly, I’d like to tip my cowboy hat to Cole Hauser (aka Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone) for reading my novel Dakota Damned and challenging me to adapt it into the TV series manuscript he is now circling the wagons on and corralling talent for out in Hollywood.

Website: https://www.amazon.com/stores/James-Goertel/author/B007RBJ2EK (Books by James Goertel on Amazon)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgoertel/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-goertel-14162423/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesGoertel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.goertel

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