TV Writer April Smith on Lou Grant, Cagney and Lacey and Storytelling

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes TV writer April Smith to Advanced TV Herstory to explore storytelling from a woman’s point of view — side by side with men in the writers’ room. Novelist April Smith shares her television journey, from Lou Grant and Cagney & Lacey to Chicago Hope and Emmy-nominated episodes. Smith’s story is one of persistence, vision, and creative grit, as she wrote across genres and decades with unmistakable voice. This episode dives into: Smith’s rise through Hollywood’s male-dominated writing rooms Emmy-winning work on Lou Grant and dramatic arcs for Cagney & Lacey How women’s voices shaped TV’s most powerful characters Smith’s transition into writing thrillers and historical fiction The balance of professional storytelling and political commentary Reflections on character-driven drama and timeless storytelling lessons April Smith’s Website: https://aprilsmith.net/