ONEIKA MAYS
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ONEIKA MAYS

Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
Makeba was inspired by my own experiences growing up as a weird , awkward Black girl in the 1980s — trying to figure out where I fit in a world that was constantly trying to define me. I wanted to write something that captured that blur between identity and performance, adolescence and survival. I chose a script over a short story or novel because I saw it in scenes: the color, the music, the internal fantasies. It had to move, to cut, to feel lived. TV gave me the right container to hold all that.

How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
This version of the script took about four months to shape, but it’s a story I’ve carried for years. I wrote my first version of this idea 4 years ago. I outline obsessively — character arcs, emotional turns, themes. I use index cards, whiteboards, playlists — anything that helps me hear the rhythm. And once I’m grounded, I give myself permission to throw all that out and just listen to the characters. And I rewrite and rewrite.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To tell stories that make people feel seen. To write for television and film. To continue to write books. And to keep creating space — especially for stories rooted in truth, joy, and the nuance of being othered. I want to entertain, disrupt, and heal.

Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
I’m inspired by writers like Issa Rae, Quinta Brunson, Barry Jenkins, Mindy Kaling, Shonda Rhimes and Pamela Adlon — storytellers who center their communities without explaining them, who are bold in tone and tender in execution. I also love writers who experiment with form: Donald Glover, Michaela Coel, Boots Riley. They make their own rules and still hit the heart.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
Taxi. It’s an all-time masterclass in ensemble storytelling, grounded performances, and emotionally honest humor. It showed that working class characters — misfits, dreamers, and strugglers — could be layered, funny, and unforgettable.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Revise with intention. Get feedback and actually use it. Don’t just chase “clean pages” — chase clarity of vision. If you’re grounded in the truth of your story, and you respect the craft, people will feel it. Also: enter the contest. You can’t win if you don’t submit. And losing is winning because you tried.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? (be sure to include any links you want the world to check out)
I’m developing Blur formerly Makeba as a full series and working on a feature called Memorial Day — a character-driven drama about a group of old college friends gathering to scatter their friend’s ashes...and unearth a few buried truths in the process. I’m also the author of Sit With Me: A No-BS Guide to Mindfulness, available for preorder and will be published early 2026 with HarperOne. It’s part meditation guide, part memoir, and all heart.
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/sit-with-me-oneika-mays

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