Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!

By Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due | RealmArts

Lifewriting: Write for Your Life! episodes

July 26, 2025 LIFEWRITING LIVE! On Goals & Actions to Make the Universe Say "Oh, sh*t!"
In this first "Lifewriting Live!" with a live audience, Steve and Tananarive talk about overcoming fears and past failures with goals and actions to make the Universe say "Oh, sh*t! She's serious!"
Tananarive also talks about what she learned about outlining versus "pantsing" from George R.R. Martin while she was teaching at the George R.R. Martin Intensive Writing Workshop at Northwestern University's Medill School for Journalism -- and how sometimes writers should just write for "fun."
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48 min
July 06, 2025 The Keeper is a Wrap! Lessons for writers on directing
Steve and Tananarive are BACK after disappearing into directing their first film! THE KEEPER wrapped last week, and they share their experiences as novelists turned screenwriters turned directors, stories from the set, and how YOU can direct your own film with only an iPhone and a skeleton crew.

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51 min
May 26, 2025 Best of Lifewriting: When History is The Monster! (The Reformatory)
In this episode (which originally aired in June of 2024), Tananarive opens up about why it was so difficult for her to write her novel, THE REFORMATORY, and why it was such a thrill to win Best Novel at The Bram Stoker Awards -- the first Black author to win Best Novel!

How she motivated herself to write a difficult novel based on her family history while juggling parenthood and screenplay assignments. And how the Lifewriting principles helped her keep going even when she wanted to give up.

Join Tananarive's mailing list at tananarivelist.com
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1 hr 13 min
May 03, 2025 SINNERS! How Ryan Coogler Shook Hollywood (And You Can Too!) *SPOILERS*
In this spoiler-crammed episode, Steve and Tananarive lead a community celebration of SINNERS and break down both the film and Ryan Coogler's Hollywood journey to shaking up Hollywood.

This is the FULL replay of the community Zoom:
https://youtu.be/bGFavqpA4Rc

And don't delay signing up for our hybrid Screenwriting webinar 5/17. Take the first steps to get your seat at the table - or build your own table. Limited spots available!

www.writerwebinar.com - LINK IN BIO
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Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com
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1 hr 6 min
April 16, 2025 We Made Our Own "Vintage" Radio Play! Introducing THE WALKER (Guest J. Michael Hayes)
In this episode, Steve and Tananarive premiere their "vintage" radio play, THE WALKER, a narrative audio story modeled after classic radio of the 1930s and 1940s - but diverse!
But first, they talk to co-producer J. Michael Hayes (an author, filmmaker and Lifewriting Premium alum) about how they brought the story to life on audio - and how you can bring your own writing to life too!

Steve and Tananarive both love narrative podcasts and vintage radio, so THE WALKER has been a longtime dream: created with friends and family with no gatekeepers. This first episode, "Black Widow," is inspired by Steve's short story "Come Home to Atropos" (New Suns).

This episode stars Dexter creator Jeff Lindsay (a former podcast guest) and Steve's daughter, Nicki Barnes...and Steven Barnes as "The Walker." "Black Widow" is about newlyweds on the most macabre honeymoon ever. The episode is also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bbw7F1AFfEA?si=-TNfOgWim22zz_cz

And don't miss their upcoming hybrid screenwriting course on May 17, which includes two free months of their new writing workshop! Participate via Zoom or in person in Southern California. Check out the course at www.writerewebinar.com.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)
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1 hr 18 min
April 08, 2025 We're Directing Our First Short Film! Writing Lessons from the Director's Chair
In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about adapting their horror graphic novel, THE KEEPER (illustrated by Marco Finnegan), as a short film for a major production company.
On how they made the journey from prose writers to screenwriters to having an opportunity to direct a short film with an eye toward directing their first feature. Also on the writing lessons from directing - and an invitation to join their LIVE hybrid screenwriting class on May 17, 2025 (either online or in Southern California) to learn the tools to write your own films and adaptations for a seat at the table.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COURSE HERE: http://www.writerwebinar.com

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1 hr 3 min
March 11, 2025 Creating Art in the Midst of Chaos (adrienne maree brown)
In this episode, Tananarive talks to visionary thinker, organizer and artist adrienne maree brown (author of EMERGENT STRATEGY, GRIEVERS and LOVING CORRECTIONS) about the role of the artist during times of chaos -- creating beauty from pain and uncertainty, the obligation of artists to express joy, and how art can be a bridge to better times.

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51 min
February 22, 2025 Best of Lifewriting: A.I. and the Writer!
The WGA writers' strike is over, but A.I. is still a big conversation among writers. From the WGA strike and screenwriters' concerns about A.I. infiltrating writers' rooms to the recent class action lawsuit including former podcast guest Paul Tremblay against OpenAI and ChatGPT, A.I. and writers are on a collision course.
Steve and Tananarive talk about the good and bad uses of A.I. for writers and how to prepare for the future.
Also: an invitation to join our social media platform on Circle!
www.lifewrite.com

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)
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52 min
February 15, 2025 Guest Josh Ruben! (Heart Eyes, Werewolves Within)
In this episode, Steve and Tananarive talk to director Josh Ruben about his new horror comedy (romance) Heart Eyes, which is destined to be a cult Valentine's Day horror hit! They talk about directing, how to make a horror romance, and why Ruben cast Black leads in Heart Eyes (Mason Gooding, opposite Olivia Holt) and Werewolves Within (Sam Richardson, opposite Milana Vayntrub).

Also: how he coped after he and his wife lost their new house during the recent fires in Southern California - only weeks before the Heart Eyes premiere.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)
Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com
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1 hr 2 min
February 07, 2025 Navigating Feedback in Your Writing - And in Life!
In this new episode, Steve and Tananarive talk about the need for feedback to grow as writers and how difficult it is to determine which feedback is useful and which feedback isn't useful - and the tools it takes to tell the difference!
They also talk about their new video on why writing Science Fiction / Afrofuturism can be empowering in 2025 - check it out at https://www.steven-barnes.com/live-classes.
LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!)
Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com
Join Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com

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50 min

About Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!

From the publisher's feed

Authors and screenwriters Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due (and guests!) on writing, the writer's life, Hollywood, the work/family balance and relationships - the tools writers need to make themselves…