Today we’d like to introduce you to Eliana West
Hi Eliana , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My writing career emerged from a period of crisis. I had been running a small boutique since 2007, but just six months after opening, the financial crisis hit. For the next four and a half years, I struggled to keep the business afloat. One day, while alone in the store packing up its remaining contents and listening to the radio, I heard a story about NaNoWriMo. It struck me as a perfect new challenge—something to divert my mind from my troubles.
I penned my first 50,000 words in a spiral notebook, rediscovering the love for writing I had in high school. I transitioned from handwritten drafts to typing on an iPad, eventually investing in a proper laptop. Joining a local romance writers’ group, I found a new passion for advocating diversity within the romance community.
Since that first NaNoWriMo in 2011, I’ve published a dozen books and stories, won the Nancy Pearl Award, and become a DEI expert for writers. It’s been quite a journey!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey hasn’t been easy. Writing interracial romance has presented many challenges, from the seemingly simple task of finding appropriate stock photos to more complex issues, like getting editorial notes saying “This will make White readers uncomfortable.” These experiences have shaped and fueled my commitment to diversity.
There were times when I thought about giving up, but I’m deeply grateful to my friends in the writing community and a publisher who urged me to persevere and to write the stories I wanted, in my own way. I’ve had to learn to write fearlessly, embrace risks, and trust my unique voice.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m perhaps best known for my work with Writers for Diversity and my efforts to promote diversity education within creative communities, particularly for writers. My passion lies in creating spaces where writers can engage in thoughtful, respectful dialogue. Too often, DEI initiatives in the writing community are driven by fear, shame, and a confrontational approach—where the focus is on criticizing and “winning” arguments. But genuine diversity efforts should center on fostering open conversations, meeting people where they are rather than where we want them to be, and allowing room for reflection, understanding, and growth. True DEI isn’t about forcing agreement, but about cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives are acknowledged and valued.
That’s the spirit behind Relatable Writing, the workbook I created for writers who want to craft diverse characters and worlds but worry about making mistakes or being criticized. Now more than ever, we need books that reflect a wide range of experiences and perspectives—and we need writers to feel supported and empowered in that process. I hope that’s what writers will experience as they go through the workbook.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Covid 19 taught me how quickly we can lose our skills to interact face to face. It can be so easy to become anti-social even when we don’t want to be. We all crave human connection!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.writersfordiversity.com
- Instagram: @elianawestbooks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WritersforDiversity
- Other: https://www.elianawest.com
