Elianor M.A.

Elianor Marissa, better known as Elianor M.A., is an American-Lebanese novelist and screenwriter. Her debut novel, Transcendent is available on the Amazon Kindle Store, published on December 1, 2018. Her first screenplay, Just Like Old Times was honored at the Los Angeles Film Awards in September 2019 and the International New York Film Festival in June 2020. Her TV pilot, Halves and Quarters, made it to the Quarterfinalist round of the Screencraft Pilot Launch Competition. Her memoir Dealing with Dramedies is set to be released in December 2020.

Her new book, Dealing with Dramedies is an honest look into the glamorously unglamorous triple life of a restless perfectionist: a student, patient, and writer dealing with her own dramatic comedy. Elianor’s rapid physical regression from a rare autoimmune disorder called Necrotizing Autoimmune Myopathy should’ve stopped her in her tracks, but her morbid sense of humor allowed her to rise above it all.

In her book, Elianor goes over her journey from the diagnosis to daily rundown, while actively receiving care and responding with “I almost died again, but now I’m totally fine” to her close friends when they call her up. What Elianor is trying to say is that life sucks. But it's taking sucky-ness, whether it’s an illness, dysfunctional family, or a combination of both, and transforming it into success that makes it worth living.

I’m so excited for you to connect with Elianor, check out her new book, and follow along as she continues to share her personal journey in the hopes of inspiring others to do the same.

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

Hi! I’m Elianor, and I’m a screenwriter and author. I write about everything all the time, but I’m currently working on my upcoming book Dealing with Dramedies.

Dealing With Dramedies is about how my college experience going awry allowed me to transform failure into success. In my book, I go over the trials and tribulations from my diagnosis with a rare autoimmune disorder, and I include the lessons I learned along the way. I also got to interview fellow storytellers, like bestselling authors and an Oscar nominee.

How did you get started?

When your attending physician isn’t with you in the hospital, you have some time to kill, and that’s how I started thinking about writing Dealing with Dramedies. It stemmed from this thought: “My life sucks. Why is this happening to me?”

I mean, in a lot of ways, it does. I’m sure many people can relate to that intrusive negativity that may hit us sometimes, but then I had my aha moment: “Ok, I can’t change the cards I’ve been dealt, but what am I going to do about it?”

Writing a book to educate others ended up being the answer.

What inspired the work that you're doing?

Watching accomplished women I looked up to like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, and Jameela Jamil open up about their personal battles showed me that there’s strength in fighting stigma. Their transparent advocacy for the causes they believe in led me to reclaim my narrative. Similarly, I hope to inspire someone out there who reads my book and thinks: “If she could get through her hard times, I can get through mine too.”

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

Storytelling. The human experience is varied, but it’s grounded in collective suffering. Sharing those variations with one another can help alleviate that suffering. I felt this to be especially true when watching a TV/movie character’s development and going: “I’m just like this person,” or “I understand what that’s like.” That’s how I got into the entertainment industry, wanting to write more unique narratives that resonate with people and make them feel seen. #representationmatters.

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

Spending time with my goddaughters, hanging out with friends, writing “THE END” on a screenplay, discovering a new show, cooking a difficult recipe, shower karaoke, and traveling (pre-pandemic). Oh and everything Taylor Swift related. She’s the boss when it comes to confessional storytelling.

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

I love watching movies with my friends. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Netflix Party extension has helped keep the bingeing tradition alive.
I take long baths at night, mostly because they clear my mind. Often, my best ideas strike me then, so my waterproof copybook comes in handy.
I rely on music to express myself, streaming a power track every morning. Whether I’m playing music on the piano, guitar, and uke, or singing along to a track, I feel most at ease.
I write! I know that technically counts as my job, but writing grounds me in ways that gravity never could.

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

She’d be proud of me for being my most authentic self and exploring my genuine interests. She’d also be surprised that I have a sense of humor, considering I used to find puns funny.

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?

In 7 rings, Ariana Grande says: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it.” It’s a top tier manifestation lyric.

I also tell myself: “Don’t let your drama define you, define it.” The latter has yet to make an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. Oh well.

What is your biggest dream?

There are so, so many of them. It’s good to have dreams that keep us going. For me, I hope my book connects with others and eventually helps me start a not-for-profit to raise awareness about my condition. Also, I’d really love to have one of my feature films produced or become the showrunner of a TV show I created.

To learn more about Elianor and her new book at elianormarissa@gmail.com and Twitter @elianorma Instagram @elianor_ma or through her personal website elianorma.com

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Elianor M.A. - Author, Dealing with Dramedies