Film Courage: Do you believe being a writer is in our DNA?
Chip Jacobs, Author/Journalist: I personally do for two reasons. One, there’s emerging science that says we pass down a lot more traits in our DNA than previously believed. I also just know it for myself because for many years of course I went by the last name of my dad. As I developed my interest and found out who I was, I realized I was much more aligned with my mom’s side of the family that were dancers, musicians, directors, writers. That’s really who I am inside. It just took me a long time.
When I was in school I always did really well in English but I was extremely curious and nosy (sometimes to my own detriment) and thought journalism was the end-all-be-all for my DNA but I was off a few chromosomes because fiction/nonfiction being more expansive was really just part of the story of my family. That’s what people did, told stories.
I had an uncle who was murdered unfortunately, a great uncle, brilliant guy [at] 16 years old was there at the beginning of Universal Pictures. He couldn’t help himself, telling stories, being interested and neither can I.
It was really a searing moment when I realized that’s who I am because my mom, who always wanted me to be a writer, had gone on back to her next life. I’m doing it for her. When I say my prayers I thank her every day for seeing the person I was meant to be.
Film Courage: You were the kid that always asked why?
Chip: I was the kid that asked a lot of whys, probably to the point my parents (and I said in an essay) were reaching for earplugs. I also got bored at school. I was the kid that would look out the window. I was a good student and attentive, but I did lose attention. I didn’t need to do advanced geometry to get a taste of what that would be like. I wanted more to transport myself into history or to see how Fitzgerald did it in The Great Gatsby but it took me a long time to figure out.
Film CourageL How did you realize you were a writer? You were curious but how did you realize that writing was for you?
Chip: I think I got a really good grade on an English exam like in fourth grade where other people weren’t doing so well and it just kind of worked to my mind. I always liked books. I loved…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
Film Courage - Empowering Creatives 