Terry McMillan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Mama and more. With the upcoming Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by Love and Terry McMillan Presents: Forever on Lifetime (Premieres August 17 and 24 at 8/7c, respectively, and each streams the next day), she is stepping into the role of executive producer for the first time.
McMillan spoke to A+E about creating stories from scratch, the importance of diversity in literature and learning to use a new creative muscle.
As executive producer of Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love, what were some of your day-to-day responsibilities?
When we first got started, my role was mainly to identify the key themes and ideas that I hoped these films would include. As we started to hear from writers, I was part of the conversation about which concepts were most exciting to develop. And when the scripts were submitted, I read drafts and offered various notes and suggestions. The writers did great work!
What inspired you to become an author?
It wasn’t a deliberate act—it wasn’t something I planned to do. I was in junior college in Los Angeles, and I was a little dissatisfied with the way my life was going. I started out writing poetry, and I didn’t know what I was doing. But I was able to vent! And it made me feel better, it was a release. And the more I wrote, the better I felt. And then the poetry turned into a story, and I realized that I could lie and tell the truth.
What is your favorite aspect of being an executive producer?
This is the first time I’ve watched a film developed from an original idea, as opposed to being developed from one of my novels. It’s been very cool to see these writers build their stories from scratch, and still get a chance to add my input along the way.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in becoming a writer?
Write without thinking about being famous. And write about what makes you itch. Often what we write about are things we wish we could change.
There has been a push to increase diversity, equity and inclusivity in workplaces across the US. Have you noticed any changes in your field?
My field is book publishing, and not Hollywood, so I can only speak to that. There’s been a lot of talk about the changes we need to make, but there’s a long way to go.
What do you think are some benefits of having a more diverse workplace?
My workplace is the world of fiction, and I think diversity of perspectives and opinions and life experiences is what makes literature interesting and alive. All our lives are valuable, and our experiences are important—that’s the beauty of living in the United States. I can pick up a book by anybody—from any background—and I will learn something and find empathy in that. It gives us a chance to really see, respect and understand other people.
As an executive producer, what’s a challenge you face that might come as a surprise to viewers? How are these challenges different to those you face as an author?
When I’m writing my books, it’s just me and the computer, and that’s pretty different from being an executive producer, where you’re one member of a pretty big team. But I liked being able to voice my feelings and ideas without having to be the sole architect of the story itself—it was like using a different muscle and learning a new skill.
What professional achievement are you especially proud of?
I’d have to say, it would have to be the publication of my first novel, Mama. I didn’t really know that I was writing a novel, at the time — I was writing poetry and then the poetry became sentences and… I just couldn’t stop. But when the novel was published, and I realized I could call myself an author, it opened up a completely new future for me.
What excites you about bringing your ideas and stories to life through film?
The potential for a whole new audience to see and engage with these stories is what excites me. I’m so proud of the films I’ve executive produced with Lifetime and can’t wait to hear from viewers who may feel a little more seen and understood when they watch.