We recently connected with Briana Cole and have shared our conversation below.

Briana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?

Thus far, the most innovative thing I’ve done in my career is write, produce, and film my own feature film! Back in 2020, I wrote a short movie and a producer and director friend of mine filmed it and put it on YouTube. It was so rewarding seeing my words come to life, so I made the ambitious decision I wanted to tackle a feature film. I wrote the movie “Pseudo” in September 2020, dipped into my savings, hired my friend’s production company, and we set to work with casting and pre-production. We filmed from December 2020 to March 2021 (I even wrote a role for myself), and we had a sold-out, red carpet movie premiere in August 2021. After that, I did some research and submitted the film to Dame Dash Studios for distribution. They loved the movie and immediately signed on. I also submitted “Pseudo” to film festivals and awards. I’m proud to share that we’ve won the New Jersey Film Awards for Best Feature Narrative, Best Actor in a Feature, and Best Supporting Actress. We were also a Finalist in the 4theatre Selection, and a Semi-Finalist in the Wisdom Tree International Film Festival. We’ve screened at the Shoot Your Shot Film Festival, the Las Vegas Premiere Film Festival, and the Newark International Film Festival in 2022. Finally, “Pseudo” was released in July 2022 on TUBI. The entire process was demanding, yet amazing and it set the precedent for me to continue pursing my screenwriting and filmmaking endeavors.

Briana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Writing has been a passion of mine since the age of six. I believe it all started with my love for reading. When I was younger, I devoured books quicker than my mom could purchase them and pretty soon, my shelves were stocked full of Nora Roberts, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Maya Angelou, and the like. The more I read, the more I would think to myself, ‘I can do that.” So, I allowed my mind to wander. Before I knew it, I was writing short stories and drawing pictures to accompany the stories (even though I couldn’t draw at all). Being able to express my creativity was extremely rewarding and I loved making up characters and putting them in strange situations. I knew then that writing was my purpose. I majored in Creative Writing at Georgia Southern University, and I have since published nine books under Kensington/Dafina Books (a subsidiary of Penguin RandomHouse). I also have penned two erotic suspense novels under Carl Weber with my pseudonym, Brielle Montgomery.

In addition to my literary works, I am the co-Screenwriter and Associate Producer for two urban films (Gutta Mamis and Trap Soldiers) and I have written, executive produced, and co-starred in my own feature film, Pseudo, now streaming on Tubi. Currently, I am a Staff Writer on AllBlk’s sexy legal drama TV series, Lace. I have been recognized in a number of popular blogs and magazines, the most prominent being Sophisticate’s Hair Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Popsugar, BlackNews.com, and Sheen. Plus, I am a motivational speaker, mother of three, and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

I am most proud of the success, thus far, I’ve had in the film industry. I have optioned a TV series and four feature films to producers, three of which are adapted from my own books. I’m excited to see my career flourishing as a Screenwriter.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn is making that first draft perfect. It used to take me a long time to write because I was too busy trying to find the perfect words, the first time around. I then realized that I would get discouraged or find myself having writer’s block more often because I couldn’t find the right words. It was disheartening and it certainly took the fun out of my creative process. Now, I realize the best writing is rewriting. I once read a book called “Shitty First Drafts.” The author discussed getting out of your ‘editor’ mode and staying in the ‘creative’ mode to get your story written. He says your first draft is going to be horrible and that is okay; just get the words out. That has been something that has resonated with me for years. Even my Soror Author Victoria Christopher Murray calls it “vomiting on the page.” Don’t try to make that first draft perfect because it’s not supposed to be. Just get the story on the paper. It’s so much easier to polish it up later.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I first entered the literary industry, my first publisher said I would need to write in the erotica genre in order to make a name for myself. I didn’t really want to do that, but I trusted her professional opinion. So, I embraced the erotica brand. I published two books under the genre, and I built my social media influence around the ‘sex’ industry, including selling sex toys, posting explicit content, and doing what I needed to do to curate that audience and become an expert in the field. After two years in, I left that publisher and completely re-branded myself. I wanted to write what I wanted to write and not what others told me was necessary for my success. I entered the romantic suspense and psychological thriller spaces, and I couldn’t be happier. Of course, I may have lost some of my audience when I shifted in the industry. But ultimately, I am the most fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brianacole.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/bcoleauthor
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/bcoleauthor
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/bcoleauthor
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrianaCole
• Other: TikTok – @brianacole3