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What Writers Can Learn from Citizen Kane · The Daily Writer

• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Daily Rider Podcast, where we bring you tips and inspiration each day to help you build habits for writing success.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: For more resources, including your free Daily Rider starter kit, visit DailyRiderLife.com.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: The movie Citizen Kane is universally recognized as one of the greatest films ever made.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Orson Wells and his collaborators created a masterpiece well ahead of its time in storytelling, cinematography, and special effects.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now it also happens to be my favorite movie.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yet for all of its achievements, Citizen Kane is one of the saddest movies ever made.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: The film tells the story of Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy businessman who began his career with good intentions.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: But over time he tries to control everybody around him, and in the end, he dies alone with a mansion full of treasures and a heart full of bitterness and regret.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: In a really powerful scene late in the movie, Cain's former friend and employee, Jed Leland, tells a reporter this.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's all he ever wanted out of life was love.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: That's the tragedy of Charles Foster Cain.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: You see, he just didn't have any to give.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me ask you a simple but profound question.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do you love to write?
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm not talking about whether you love having written, I'm talking about the actual work of writing.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what I mean.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Do you love the creative process?
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Do you love the opportunity to set down words on a page or a screen, knowing they can make a difference for somebody?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Do you love telling a story, teaching something new, or knowing that you helped somebody with your words?
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if the answer is yes, well that's great.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: But if the answer is no or not so much, I want you to consider the reason why.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Is it because writing is hard or unpleasant?
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Is it because somebody long ago said you weren't a writer?
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Could it be that inner critic trying to convince you that you're not worthy?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, one of the greatest ironies of Citizen Kane was that Charles Foster Cain was a newspaper publisher.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: He started his journey with a love of words, and he used those words to serve people.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: But by the end, he was an empty shell of a man who had no love to give.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: And the single word that he spoke right before he died, the infamous rosebud, probably the most famous word in all of cinema, that word rosebud pointed to a time in his life when he felt more secure and loved.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: So today, as you sit down to write, my wish for you is that your heart and your pen would be filled with love.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: Not just love for the process of writing, but love for yourself and for the people who will read your words.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Here's today's challenge.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Write down three reasons you love writing and how it can improve your life.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: And bonus points if you watch Citizen Kane and you've never seen it before.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: If you watch it for the first time, let me know.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear what you think.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: You can shoot me an email at Kent at DailyWriterLife.com.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Seriously, this is really my favorite movie of all time.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Just ask my former college students who I made watch in a couple different classes every year, and ask my family who has heard me talk about Citizen Kane ad nauseum.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Not to mention the huge movie poster of Citizen Kane I've got hanging on the wall here in my office.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: I truly love the movie.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Love to hear if you watch it.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Shoot me an email and let me know.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, as always, thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.