I recently learned that one of my favorite authors, Paulette Jiles, passed away on July 8, 2025. The news hit me harder than I expected. Jiles—brilliant chronicler of both history and humanity—gave us News of the World (later made into a film), Enemy Women, Stormy Weather, and The Color of Lightning. Her words could transport you straight into the saddle, the storm, or the heart of another century. And as a fellow horsewoman, she earned my admiration twice over.

Her death came during a week when headlines were crowded with the losses of icons like Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and Gene Hackman. Newsfeeds overflowed with tributes and clips celebrating their unforgettable performances. But as I watched, I couldn’t help thinking—what about the people who wrote the lines that made us fall in love with those characters?

Without writers, there would be no Jay Gatsby to brood in his mansion, no Annie Hall to charm us with neurotic grace, no Popeye Doyle chasing down criminals in The French Connection. Every scene we quote, every moment that sticks in our memory, began with someone alone at a desk, wrestling words into being.

Actors bring the magic to life, yes—but it’s the writers who conjure the spell. They create the worlds, the dialogue, the hearts beating behind the camera. Yet too often, when one of them leaves us, the news barely ripples.

The next time I’m glued to a great film or binge-worthy series, I’ll do something simple: stay for the credits. I’ll look for the writer’s name. Because before any actor steps into character, before the director calls “Action!”, it all begins with a blank page—and someone brave enough to fill it.

Let’s give the writers their standing ovation, too.