About

After being approached for advice on writing diverse characters from several members of her writing group, Eliana West created a Facebook group where her friends could post questions in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Since its creation in 2017, Writers for Diversity has provided a safe space for thoughtful and respectful dialogue, growing to over 1,000 members from around the world and encompassing all genres. 

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Eliana’s diverse background gives her a broad perspective on the growing multicultural landscape. The only child of a Black man and a White woman who married before the milestone Loving vs. Virginia Supreme Court ruled that their marriage was legal. Growing up dyslexic and converting to Judaism as a young woman has provided Eliana a unique opportunity to share her personal experiences in her workshop presentations and classes. Her life experience and DEI training fuel her commitment to an empathetic approach in her engagement with writers. 

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Eliana is the recipient of the 2022 Nancy Pearl Award for genre fiction, is to embracing diversity in her writing. That means she doesn’t limit herself to a single genre. Instead, Eliana welcomes every story that comes her way with open arms. She aims to create characters that reflect the diversity of her community, with a range of social backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. Eliana loves to weave in historical elements whenever she can. She believes everyone deserves a happy ending.

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When not writing, Eliana can be found exploring the many wineries in Oregon and Washington with her husband in their vintage Volkswagen Westfalia named Bianca.

She is the founder of Writers for Diversity (https://www.facebook.com/groups/writersfordiversity), a community for writers interested in creating diverse characters and worlds.

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Eliana West holds a certificate in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences at Northwestern University. 

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www.elianawest.com