Janine Sherman Barrois is an award-winning writer and showrunner known for her work on Claws, Criminal Minds, ER, and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker starring Octavia Spencer.

Her latest project, The Big Cigar, follows Huey P. Newton's life as he escapes to Cuba to avoid prosecution for murder with the help of Bert Schneider, the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, as well as a few other celebrity radicals.

In this interview, we talk about her journey into becoming a screenwriter, how her career progressed from writing comedy to drama, the differences between writing for short-order vs long-order television shows, the importance of mentorship and networking for aspiring writers, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, Ink by the Barrel - Secrets From Prolific Writers right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

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