We’re looking forward to introducing you to Maggie Eliot. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Maggie, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I never thought I’d seek out a new medium of artistic expression, but I started taking mosaics classes about a year ago and I absolutely love it. It’s like putting together a puzzle that has no defined image. I guess it’s similar to my approach in writing. Discovery and problem solving are so invigorating in a creative setting. And placing the glass pieces and focusing on the picture as it comes together is really relaxing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Maggie Eliot and I’m a romance author. Most of my work is romcoms, predominantly set in Michigan. Recently, I’ve completed the first book in a Sci-Fi romance series that I’m really excited about. I went through many different lives as an artist before landing on writing fiction. I was an actor, an improviser, a sketch comedy writer, a corporate theatre writer, a playwright, an improv teacher, and a writing teacher. While there are dramatic themes in my books, there’s definitely a lot of humor, thanks to my many years in comedy. My tagline is “Romcom With Extra Com”.
I’m currently working on self-publishing a romcom about a New York Billionaire and am querying agents with my Sci-Fi series.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
In a high school production of “You Can’t Take It With You”, I played the maid. Very minimal lines, part of a large ensemble cast. During rehearsal, an actor forgot to enter and I was left on stage, having to fill until they showed up. This was many years before I learned to improvise, and in any other context, I would have just stopped, knowing it was rehearsal. But I riffed and riffed. I could have gone on for days. It felt like this amazing game, keeping the reality and scenic tension up. The other actor on stage played along and even though it wasn’t an actual performance and the only ones who saw it were the crew and the director, I felt a sense of power. I’d tapped into one of my greatest strengths, something that would be central to my career as both a performer and a writer.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
In late 2023, I made the decision to self publish. I’d been in the query trenches for some time and a couple of the authors in my critique group had already been self publishing for a while. I was so jealous to hear them talk about their readers, their reviews, seeing the physical copies of their books. But I was also terrified of the work and expense of self publishing. Not to mention MARKETING.
Since I was in my early 50s, I decided there was no time like the present. I spent some money I didn’t really have to spare on editing and covers and went for it. The one thing I learned along the way is that even though there are many many skills to learn, the process takes time and you handle things one step at a time. Also, I didn’t need to be a sudden smash success or consider it all a failure. Just like the friends I’ve had who’ve succeeded in theatre, film, and TV, the “20 year over night sensation” thing is real.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, with minor edits. Authenticity is incredibly important to me. And in a lot of ways I’m very open. When I started my TikTok author account, I spent a lot of time watching what others were doing before honing in on the type of content I wanted to create. I finally decided to just be myself. I’ve been a performer for decades and a lot of that work was improvised. Just turn the camera on and go.
The only thing I’m a little guarded with publicly is the deep stuff. Grief, major disappointments, health stuff, family challenges are all things that I’m a bit more private about. And up until recently, I didn’t post or talk much about politics, but that’s changed in these “unprecedented times”.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that when I’m gone, people will recognize the passion I have for connecting people with creativity and making opportunities for artists in my community. Both in my work as a non-profit arts administrator and in my creative community, I’ve always had a passion for connecting people with good, paid, arts opportunities, or helping people find or embrace their creativity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maggieeliot.com
- Instagram: @maggieeliotauthor
- Facebook: @maggieeliotauthor
- Other: Threads: @maggieeliotauthor
TikTok: @maggieeliotauthor
Linktree: linktr.ee/authormaggieeliot
