Kid Norton has always had a way with words, but unfortunately he is also a compulsive gambler and incredibly irresponsible, or at least his fiance Lori thinks so. Although his heart was in the right place, Kid now finds himself in a huge debt with his bookie Mickey. Lori, now completely fed up, finally leaves him until he learns to be responsible. With no luck, no money and now no fiance, Kid is forced to endure a series of hilariously brutal attacks by Mickey’s enforcer, Butch. But soon Kid realizes his talent with words can help Butch’s broken relationship with his girlfriend and buy Kid some time in paying off Mickey. Kid’s poetry begins to work wonders for Butch, but unfortunately it works too well. Mickey eventually catches on and demands that Butch, claiming the poetry as his own, use ‘his’ new found talent with words to patch up Mickey’s own dysfunctional relationship. Soon Mickey discovers their deceitful scheme and begins to release his wrath. Butch and Kid soon realize that by only betting on each other can they escape the tyranny of their common foe in order to succeed in their personal, professional and romantic aspects of their lives. WORDS TO LIVE BY is a feature length screenplay looked at in the same humorous style as Fargo mixed with the classic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac.