Eliot West, PhD
they/them
Hi, I'm Eliot, an independent editor, educator, and writing coach serving creators who care about inclusivity! In my work life, I:
A literary scholar, romance fan, and incorrigible nerd, I’ve spent my life smitten with—and studying and teaching about—stories, language, and the sharing of ideas. As an editor and coach, I aim to support creators in realizing their particular visions and growing in their craft, and to advocate for readers through a commitment to inclusive language and storytelling.
I’m also fundamentally a teacher, a role I’ve found myself performing my whole adult life in a surprising range of contexts: in a slew of college literature and writing classrooms, at a creative writing camp, in conference presentations and Q&As, at a library reference desk, in workshops for writers and editors, one-on-one with clients, and more.
I believe that editing is (or at least can be!) a form of teaching and learning, and that all of these interactions are best approached not only with loads of knowledge to share but also in a spirit of empathy, curiosity, and collaboration. And when you get right down to it, that’s what I love most about the work I do!
I also maintain (and constantly learn from) my own creative practice as a fiction writer, knitter, and new but extremely enthusiastic potter. My many other great loves include Schitt’s Creek and She-Ra, Maintenance Phase and Fated Mates, coffee, gardening, nature photography, our two gloriously big-eared dogs, and (perhaps inexplicably) wombats.
And last but definitely not least: I'm reliable, prompt, and a pleasure to work with!
- work with independent authors on everything from big-picture story issues to sentence-by-sentence polishing,
- support fiction writers across experience levels through personalized coaching and as a teacher,
- run joyful and deeply connective events for writers and editors, including through Wholehearted Writers,
- and contract with publishers and other companies as a copyeditor and proofreader.
A literary scholar, romance fan, and incorrigible nerd, I’ve spent my life smitten with—and studying and teaching about—stories, language, and the sharing of ideas. As an editor and coach, I aim to support creators in realizing their particular visions and growing in their craft, and to advocate for readers through a commitment to inclusive language and storytelling.
I’m also fundamentally a teacher, a role I’ve found myself performing my whole adult life in a surprising range of contexts: in a slew of college literature and writing classrooms, at a creative writing camp, in conference presentations and Q&As, at a library reference desk, in workshops for writers and editors, one-on-one with clients, and more.
I believe that editing is (or at least can be!) a form of teaching and learning, and that all of these interactions are best approached not only with loads of knowledge to share but also in a spirit of empathy, curiosity, and collaboration. And when you get right down to it, that’s what I love most about the work I do!
I also maintain (and constantly learn from) my own creative practice as a fiction writer, knitter, and new but extremely enthusiastic potter. My many other great loves include Schitt’s Creek and She-Ra, Maintenance Phase and Fated Mates, coffee, gardening, nature photography, our two gloriously big-eared dogs, and (perhaps inexplicably) wombats.
And last but definitely not least: I'm reliable, prompt, and a pleasure to work with!
education
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I have a number of English lit degrees, culminating in a PhD with specialties in literary theory and twentieth- and twenty-first-century British novels. In my academic life, I produced a body of work focused on narrative form and taught literature and writing courses for a decade.
A longtime voracious reader when it comes to writing craft, genre fiction, and developments in English usage (with special attention to inclusive language), I’ve also taken or attended many dozens of classes, conferences, workshops, and webinars on a variety of topics in editing and creative writing. I am not only committed to but downright enthusiastic about keeping my skills up to date through continuing education. |