Meet Eli Rainwater | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eli Rainwater and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eli, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
“Write every day”, “Write X amount of words every day”, and “Write X amount of hours every day”.

Everyone is different, and everyone has a different process. I know writers who sit down and write for four hours at a time a few times a week and others who write thirty minutes a day. Yes, there’s science behind some advice like getting up and moving around after sitting at a desk for about 25 minutes, but if you force yourself to stick to a formula that makes you feel stifled or burned out, then how exactly are you benefitting yourself and your craft?

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Honestly, I’m the most proud of the fact that I actually wrote and published a book. Probably the number one thing I hear at any market, show, or event is “I started to write a book” or “I always wanted to write a book”. It’s daunting. You can spend hours and only get a few hundred words. You go back and reread what you wrote and convince yourself that it’s garbage (it’s probably not).

I had two challenges I still have to work hard to overcome. Imposter syndrome cripples most of the creative community, and it’s exhausting to fight your brain, which constantly whispers that your work is terrible, and convince the world that your book is good enough to read at the same time.

I also have pretty bad ADHD, so it’s hard to find the discipline to sit down and focus long enough to meet my deadlines. I try to keep a reasonable schedule with bite sized “To Do” list items, a reward system, and breaks. I also accept the validation I receive from my friends and family. Not everyone will like my books, and that’s okay. If I follow my schedule, keep on track, and keep writing, then I can always move forward.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would choose between Isaac’s Bagels, The Durham Filling Station, and Elmo’s for breakfast and Ninth Street Bakery, Toast, and Alimentari for lunch. Dinner would be between Mother’s and Sons, Gocciolina, Vin Rouge, Hutchin’s Garage, and Alley 26. We would grab drinks, a tarot reading, and a show at Arcana, listen to jazz and have a cocktail at Kingfisher, catch a movie at the Carolina Theater, grab a drink and check out art at 21C, and watch the sunset from the Durham Rooftop Hotel. During the day we’ll hike along the Eno River, go to the Duke Gardens, and visit the Nasher Museum and Museum of Life & Science. We’ll shop on 9th Street, Parrish Street, and in American Tobacco Campus, and gallery hop throughout downtown and Golden Belt. We’ll go on a brewery tour and get coffee from a different café every day. If it’s summer then we’ll catch a Durham Bulls game.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Brenda, the inspiration for my titular character and my life-long best friend. She has spent countless hours talking me off the ledge, sending me emotional and monetary support, and has been my #1 cheerleader.

Also Malachy and Casey from Bull McCabes for forcing me to take the vacation that inspired me to take writing up again, Sandra for endlessly promoting me (seriously, you’re missing out on an excellent career as a publicist), Sarah and Melissa for being the best support and help I could possibly have at shows and events, Letters Bookshop in Durham and the Durham Public Library for carrying my books from the beginning, and my family and the entire Durham community for helping me plunge headlong into this terrifying, exhilarating, and lifelong journey.

Website: https://elirainwater.com

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