Staying Open
The Compelling Writing Process of ‘Elliott Wink’…
With five published novels and more in the works, Red Bluff author Elliott Wink (pen name) is testament to the power of commitment and perseverance and the willingness to become bored. The new mother and high school English teacher has found ways to make her writing dreams come true, bringing joy to readers and a sense of accomplishment to herself. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was a little kid,” she says. “But it was one of those things I didn’t take seriously until seven or eight years ago when I wrote my first novel.”
Wink now has two series of books, including Far Light, with three published books and a fourth in progress, and Anetera, with two books. She describes Far Light as a space opera and both series as adult science fiction and fantasy. “I find I have trouble getting away from the question ‘What if?’” she says of her preference for the genres. “I love the potential of science fiction and fantasy. I like that my stories don’t have to be constrained by our reality. The best sci fi and fantasy use the potential of the genre to create stronger story lines.”
For a book to be created, it must first be written and then published. Both stages can be challenging, but Wink has found systems that work. “As far as my writing process goes,” she says, “I feel like it deviates from a lot of authors that I know about. I compel myself to be bored until an idea comes to me. I’m a gardener as opposed to an architect – the story develops as it goes. I have a rough idea for it, but I stay open. I let myself be bored and I let myself ruminate.”
While many might decry a lack of time to write with a toddler and outside employment, Wink says becoming a mother has made her even more determined. “My daughter and becoming a mother has been a big inspiration to continue my writing goals,” she says. “When I write is when she’s napping or after she goes to sleep. I’m more productive now because I have less free time.” Wink set a writing goal of 1,000 words a day over the summer and says she met it about 70 percent of the time.
Motherhood has found its way into her writing as well, and Wink notes that her writing reflects the seasons of her life. “It’s changed some aspects of me and my writing,” she says of becoming a mother.
As for publishing, a near miss at publication in the magazine Apex encouraged her to self-publish her first novels. What started out as a disappointment, however, yielded unexpected rewards later. “About one and a half years after rejection, the editor asked me if the story was still available,” she says. That story, called A Still Life, became the inspiration for an anthology called Robotic Ambitions. “It’s an interesting twist of fate,” says Wink, who ended up selling that story after all. She is currently hoping to find a traditional publisher for two new works.
“Like a lot of writers, I have always loved books and I’ve always loved stories,” she says, noting she reads a variety of genres. She enjoys passing her love of reading and writing along to her students. “In my teaching career, not only do I introduce my students to a wide range of books, but beyond that I really try to have open discussion,” she says. “One of my favorite parts of my job is having open discussions with my students. When it comes to creative writing, I’m open to all kinds of styles.”
Wink moved to Red Bluff from the east coast in 2012 with her biologist husband, who found work with wild salmon in the area. They’ve already introduced their young daughter to camping on the coast, as well as a plethora of books.
She sees no end to her writing and is eager to find a wider audience of readers. “If I’m not writing for a while, my brain will kind of bother me if I have a story idea,” she says. As long as the ideas come forth, she’ll be spinning them into books and pursuing publication any way she can. “It’s a way of expressing myself and my observations about the world,” she says.•
www.elliottwink.com
