About Elliott Penn
Elliott is a lifelong bookworm and dreamer who has spent a lot of time living in other worlds. They are bursting with ideas for books and is building a writing practice that will lead into publishing. Elliott enjoys any and all genres, though does habitually gravitate to fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural, mystery, and classics, and is learning to appreciate more contemporary and non-fiction work. Romance is a happy addition to any genre, especially if there are queer characters that have happy endings. Elliott dabbles in poetry and journal writing, and has a youtube channel where they discuss reading, writing, visual arts, and the general life shenanigans of a millennial emo-hobbit.
A Conversation with Elliott Penn
We sat down with Elliott Penn to discuss their writing journey, creative process, and what inspires their stories. Get an inside look at their experiences and learn valuable insights from a fellow writer in our community.
Which writers inspire you and why?
Two more recent authors are Lev A.C Rosen and Rainbow Rowell. Rosen because his writing focuses on queer stories and characters that are multidimensional, imperfect, and tackle real life struggles, but allow for happiness and joy for his queer characters. Rowell’s Simon Snow trilogy is one of several works I’ve read recently that both reignited my love for reading (which lay stagnant for all too many years of my twenties), and also for showing me how much fun you can have with tropes and language.
Do you have a current work in progress? Can you tell us a bit about it?
As of October 2024, I have a fantasy “Damsel in Distress” trope turned upside down that is in it’s first serious re-write. I am the kind of person that needs multiple things on the go, so I am also in the ruminating/brainstorming stages for a project that I’m very excited to begin, which is another fantasy with a main character that is really near and dear to my heart. There is also a poetry book I’ve been thinking of writing for years… I’m finally ready to work on it, I just need to find the perfect notebook for my rough draft…
Why do you write?
Because I love stories. I grew up voraciously reading, and I feel that writing is really an extension of that. I would love to give to others “the thing” that stories do for me when I’m reading them. And I have freakin’ awesome ideas (I just need to get better at finishing them).
To learn more about Elliott Penn, their books, and their writing process, please visit them at Instagram and on YouTube.