Ten questions with Ellen Won Steil
After learning about Ellen Won Steil’s fantastic premise for her debut novel, I knew I had to interview her. Her story of “sheer persistence” is inspiring.
1. Please tell us about your debut novel.
Fortune, imagines what could happen if a DNA lottery was used to solve a decades old mystery involving the remains of an unidentified infant. Set in the idyllic Midwest town of Rosemary Hills, a billionaire widow decides to do just that. I really wanted to explore the lives of three very different women who all fall under suspicion: Cleo, Alex, and Jemma—and how their shared past trauma and present bittersweet state of motherhood all come crashing down when long buried secrets get revealed.
2. I’ve read that only 4% of the people who start a novel, finish writing it. Why do you think you beat the odds?
I’ve lived most of my life with the motto: you finish what you start. That, coupled with sheer persistence is probably how I pushed through. But the option of not finishing never crossed my mind. I think if you truly enjoy writing, you will find yourself getting through to the end.
3. Was your debut novel the first book you wrote? (Any prior efforts hiding on your hard drive?)
Ha! If only that were the case. My debut is the sixth manuscript I wrote. Funny enough, it was actually my seventh manuscript (and now second book being published) that attracted the attention of an editor. But I can honestly say I wouldn’t trade this experience or process for anything. I believe every story that you write makes you a better writer and then you move on to the next. Book by book.
4. What helped you become a better writer? Any books or resources you found helpful?
I’m not one of those authors that will say you need to write every single day. But you need to write in a consistent way that works for you. What I mean by that, is what process helps you get the job done? For me, it’s creating an outline and then sticking to a strict writing schedule. This sounds very mundane but once you spit out that first draft, then the fun part begins! This is when you can really start to get creative and make your story even better.
5. What was your process like getting an agent?
A very traditional path. Write manuscript. Revise manuscript. Submit under agent guidelines with a query letter. And pray. Finding a literary agent is difficult but matching with one that clicks is even harder. It’s almost like dating. You must be compatible on various levels. I feel very lucky and grateful to click with my agent. Publishing is a tough industry, and it helps tremendously to have a true advocate behind you.
6. How did you celebrate when you learned your book would be published?
My husband and I toasted with whiskey ginger ales. And then I kind of fell into disbelief. It still doesn’t feel real and maybe I will give myself permission to celebrate when I think I’ve reached a point that merits it.
7. What was the most exciting moment involving the publication of your debut novel? (The moment you first saw the cover? The call when you learned when it was being published? When you cashed your advance check?)
I thought it would be the cover which was an amazing moment. But it was the interior proofs. The very first time I saw my manuscript no longer just a word doc but in the format of a book. That really got me.
8. What’s your best advice for someone who wants to be published?
Fall in love with writing. Because even after you get that first full manuscript request, agent, editor, book deal, whatever the bar, there are always ups and downs. And what will always get you back on the horse is sheer love of writing. If you don’t have that, then what is the point?
9. What are you currently reading? Or, what's one of the best novels you've read lately?
Leave the World Behind, by Rumaan Alam was incredible. There was something so provocative and tense throughout what seems to start off as a simple family getaway. This book left me spooked.
I’m currently reading Don’t Forget to Write, by Sara Goodman Confino. This is her third book and so far, her best. She is the master of heartfelt, hilarious, and emotional historical fiction.
10. What are you working on now? Any projects coming out soon?
My second suspense novel, Becoming Marlow Fin comes out next summer. This story centers around a girl who appears from the woods and forever changes the lives of a mixed-raced family as they enter the millennium. There is a big, anticipated “interview format” in some of the chapters that I’m really excited for readers to experience as all the twists and turns play out.