Eternal Creator Mara Brock Akil on the Joy of Falling in Love with Screenwriting

      Mara Brock Akil always aspired to be a writer, but she was unsure about how to earn a living from it. Therefore, she chose to take a practical route and enrolled in one of the top journalism schools in the country, Northwestern University. There, she quickly discovered two things: her passion for higher education and that journalism wasn't her calling.

      During her newspaper internship, she came to the conclusion that “the news does not concern itself with our humanity. They didn’t value the stories I believed were important and should be told. I found myself drawn more toward feature writing.”

      She shifted her focus to advertising, but a friend's invitation to an Organization of Black Screenwriters meeting, hosted by producer Gus Blackmon, led her to uncover her “heart’s desire.” She secured a spot in a screenwriting class and wrote her first script, a romantic piece titled Limits, about a college girl.

      “I attended class, and it transformed my life,” she states. “I wrote a script and fell in love with the process. I was filled with energy, didn’t feel the need to eat. I was in love and eager to immerse myself in that world. Everything changed for me.”

      After finishing her degree, she opted against an advertising position to work as an assistant manager at the Gap in Chicago. The management program there equipped her with essential skills for running her own show later on. Additionally, she often visited comedy clubs, where she formed a friendship with Mark Adkins, Sinbad’s brother and manager.

      “I knew I had to be in L.A. I couldn’t remain in Chicago and be the next John Hughes,” she remembers. She packed her things and reached out to Adkins, who was starting The Sinbad Show. He had just one job opening left for a production assistant, which Brock Akil eagerly accepted and ended up meeting writers like Ralph Farquhar and Michael Weithorn, along with the acclaimed dancer, director, and actor Debbie Allen.

      “The Sinbad Show was my breakthrough. It allowed me to meet writers in that community and become part of it, which helped me move forward,” she explains.

      “I had talent with my script, but before they read it, they observed me. I arrived on time, was helpful, and my positive energy and spirit, along with remembering people’s names, were all part of my contribution. Every aspect matters.”

      Thanks to her connections with Farquhar and Weithorn, Brock Akil became a writing trainee on their show South Central in 1994. Two years later, Farquhar invited her to join the writing staff of Moesha when she was just 25.

      “I haven’t looked back since,” she says. “Ralph had a gracious way of turning down my pitches when I wouldn’t give up. He would say, ‘Hey Mara, I heard you, I love it. But how about saving that for your pilot?’ I started going home and jotting down everything I was saving for my pilot.”

      In 2000, Brock Akil fulfilled her dream of creating and running her own show with the debut of Girlfriends, which lasted for eight seasons. Six years later, she also created the nine-season spinoff The Game.

      “If you look at television today, you’d think everyone is involved in murder mysteries and car chases. That’s not reflective of my life,” she comments.

      “My writing seeks to capture people’s real dramas in a way that is entertaining while telling a riveting, captivating, and emotional story that resonates with many of our life experiences.”

      In 2013, Brock Akil maintained that vision with the four-season series Being Mary Jane, featuring Gabrielle Union as a talk show host juggling her personal and professional life. Five years later, she became even more personal with the 10-episode series Love Is, inspired by her own marriage to writer and producing partner Salim Akil. This project examined the love between a modern power couple in Black Hollywood during the 1990s.

      Currently, the couple collaborates under Akil Productions, though they continue working on their individual writing endeavors. While Akil explores art and various forms of expression, Brock Akil focuses on relationships and narratives surrounding love and character nuances. She is also committed to mentoring aspiring writers through her residency program, The Writers’ Colony.

      “I’m sharing my stories and feel a strong urge to remain true to myself and follow my heart. To do so, I must cultivate a broader community and build more relationships,” she shares. “I’m also really enthusiastic about The Writers’ Colony, and I want it to grow. Salim and I have been creating this beautiful work together, which I cherish, but it’s important to keep expanding, and I’m excited about this new phase as well.”

      Mara Brock Akil on Adapting the Judy Blume Novel Forever

      Lovie Simone stars as Keisha in Forever. Photo by Elizabeth Morris / Netflix

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