Amy DuBois Barnett is a former C-Suite executive who has spent decades navigating the media industry. Now the media professional is adding a new chapter to her life’s story with the grand debut of her first novel, If I Ruled the World, which she considers an act of self-reflection and release.
“The emotional core of the book is deeply informed by my own experiences,” DuBois Barnett shares exclusively with BrownStyle Magazine about the novel, which follows Nikki Rose, a young editor who is faced with the heavy burden of navigating rooms where the rules are rarely spoken aloud. “Writing this book allowed me to honor the woman I was when I didn’t yet have the language for what I was experiencing. It was a way of saying, ‘I see you now.’”
The story, set in 1999, follows the journey of Nikki, who quits a prestigious (and cliquish) fashion magazine to take over a struggling hip hop music and lifestyle magazine. With only six months to save the publication, the media professional is forced to quickly navigate personal and professional hurdles— including all-nighters at the office, parties with New York City’s most influential bad boys, and a powerful ex-lover and former boss who is determined to destroy her.
While the story is fictional, Nikki’s longing to feel whole in environments that constantly ask her to shrink or perform is all too real.
“At her core, Nikki is searching for belonging,” DuBois Barnett explains thoughtfully about the book’s character. “As a biracial woman who identifies as Black, Nikki is constantly navigating cultural expectations and unspoken rules about where and how she’s allowed to fit. Her ambition and desire are real, but beneath them is a need to feel whole without having to perform, translate, or fragment herself for other people’s comfort.”
In celebration of the novel’s launch today (Jan. 27), read highlights from our conversation with the former Editor-in-Chief of Ebony and Honey to learn more about the inspiration behind the book, along with how she lives her soft life with self-care and intention.
Vulnerability, Morality, And Quiet Trade-Offs
Some of the most revealing moments in the novel come when Nikki faces morally complicated decisions that offer no clear wins, only trade-offs. Those moments mirror real-life experiences many women silently navigate, which is why DuBois Barnett felt it was important to bring awareness.
“This feels like the right moment—not just personally, but culturally—to examine misogyny in the music industry and the complicated ways ambitious women are rewarded, punished, and misunderstood,” DuBois Barnett reveals. “Those challenges reflect the realities many women face in environments that weren’t built with them in mind. They reflect the quiet calculations women make to survive, succeed, and retain a sense of integrity while appearing confident and capable in public.”
She continues, “It’s a chance to ask harder questions about power, identity, and ambition, and to tell the truth without needing to protect institutions, narratives, or even my younger self.”
Writing, Self-Care, And Creating Space For The Next Generation
Like most writing exercises, DuBois Barnett admits penning If I Ruled the World required emotional stamina and a reimagining of what self-care truly means.
“Self-care during the writing process meant learning when to step away and taking that permission seriously,” Barnett said gently. “Some days it looked like long walks, therapy, or rest. On other days, it meant leaving everything behind and working from Paris.”
According to DuBois Barnett, earlier in her career, survival took precedence over reflection. However, turning to the pen after leaving the corporate world was truly a way of healing. “I was too busy surviving and proving myself to reflect honestly on what I was experiencing. Now, with distance and clarity, I can look back without fear or defensiveness,” she notes.
Today, her relationship with self-care is rooted in intention rather than recovery. “Self-care used to be about how quickly I could bounce back after pushing myself too hard,” she reflected. “Now it’s about prevention—about designing a life that doesn’t constantly require healing.”
When asked what practice she refuses to abandon, her answer came easily. “When life and work feel overwhelming, the one thing I refuse to skip is exercise,” she said. “It’s the fastest way I know to get out of my head, back into my body, and remind myself that I’m still in control.”
For DuBois Barnett, success has evolved far beyond titles or corner offices. “Opulence, to me now, looks like autonomy,” she said plainly. “It’s the ability to decide how I spend my time, who has access to my energy, and what kind of work I say yes to.”
Stepping away from corporate media was pivotal in that shift. “For so long, I measured achievement by proximity to power or visibility. Once I created distance from that framework, I could finally hear myself again,” she adds.
Sisterhood, Love, And Community
DuBois Barnett emphasizes that sisterhood has been a constant source of grounding.
“My friends have been my sounding board, my reality check, and my safety net for decades,” she said warmly. “The fact that this book is dedicated to my best friend from high school says it all.”
She also believes true legacy-building requires collective care. “We must remember that we are not in competition with one another, we’re a community,” she shared. “If we’re serious about building legacies, we have to move like we plan to bring people with us.”
| ✨ Tweety Elitou’s Editor Note: In the spirit of sisterhood and reflection, I remember the first time I met Amy. She was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of BET Digital, and she was truly a cheerleader for the editorial team. During our time working together, she often called me a rockstar, a small affirmation that carried weight— especially in the corporate world, where leaders often overlook those who carry the torch to make company goals a reality. It was clear she recognized my capabilities, and over time, our relationship grew into mentorship. I will forever be appreciative of her confidence in my work and advocating for the next generation of media professionals. Because of Amy’s contribution to media, we are proud to announce Amy DuBois Barnett will be the guest Editor-at-Large for BrownStyle Magazine’s Women In Media special edition issue launching March 9, 2026! (Be sure to follow @brownstyle on Instagram for more exciting updates!) |
Looking Ahead
As we look toward 2026 and beyond, DuBois Barnett hopes women in media lead with discernment and courage. “I hope women lead with courage and protection of themselves, their communities, and their work,” she said firmly. “These are not gentle times… The future of media requires women who are willing to conserve their energy, defend their boundaries, and refuse systems that profit from their exhaustion. We need spaces like BrownStyle Magazine to talk openly about the compromises we’ve made and the ones they’re no longer willing to make.”
Through Nikki’s journey, she wants readers to feel empowered to do the same. “I hope women permit themselves to want more and trust their own voice,” she said. “Without apology, and without diminishing themselves to fit.”
Ultimately, If I Ruled the World is meant to spark honest conversations about misogyny, power, and the price women are expected to pay for ambition.
FYI: If I Ruled the World is available on Amazon and wherever books are available! Hulu has reportedly landed the rights the book to adapt the book hour-long drama series, which will be produced by Lee Daniels and Emma Watts.
Editor’s Note: This story has been edited and condensed for clarity.
By BrownStyle Magazine in Special Editions
72 pages, published 1/17/2025
