From Page to Peacock

In the world of psychological fiction, the “slow burn” is something of a coveted art form. It requires complex character and plot development, a keen eye for the human condition, and a deep understanding of how to build tension and suspense. For author Ellen Won Steil, JO’07, these skills weren’t just developed; they were forged in the classrooms of Drake University and seasoned by her Iowa upbringing. Today, as her second novel, Becoming Marlow Fin, heads toward a major television adaptation, Steil stands as a testament to the power of Midwestern storytelling and the enduring influence of her alma mater.

Steil’s journey to the bestseller lists began where she grew up—in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines. A 2007 graduate of Drake University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a 2010 graduate of the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, Steil often credits her Midwestern upbringing and education for sharpening her literary voice. Both journalism and law demand concise language and a hyper focus on the truth—two traits that define Steil’s work.

During a recent Everclass interview, Page to Screen: The Story Behind Ellen Won Steil’s Optioned Novel, Steil reflected on how her time on the Drake campus shaped her perspective. She spoke about the persistence required to transition from a hobby writer to a published novelist and how, at Drake, she learned how to observe the world through a critical lens. This ability allows her to weave intricate details and moral ambiguities into her plots with a level of realism that sets her apart in a growing genre of bestselling thriller and suspense authors.

“Writing for broadcast journalism classes and then marketing classes and then creative writing and then law school, there’s a whole other animal and type of writing,” Steil said. “Exercising your brain and realizing that there’s more than one way to do certain types of writing was a vehicle in moving forward.”

Though she and her husband, A.J. Steil, also a Drake graduate, now call Minnesota home, Steil’s heart—and her darkest inspirations—remain rooted in central Iowa. Growing up in a Korean American family, she experienced firsthand the “Midwest nice” culture that she so effectively deconstructs in her writing. Her debut novel, Fortune (2023), was a love letter to her home state, set in a fictionalized Iowa town that mirrored the atmospheric, tight-knit community of her youth.

But in her writing, the Midwest isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a main character. Steil uses the perceived flatness of the region to mask the simmering tensions beneath the surface. It resonates with readers who see their own lives reflected in her descriptions of suburban strip malls, gravel roads, and the weight of maintaining family legacies.

“I think dark characters and dark storylines don’t have to be these big, splashy, really heavy elements,” Steil said. “They can be nuanced, which I do love, and I think they carry more weight when they have that. I just find it more interesting.”

The literary world took notice of Steil’s talent early on, but it was her second novel, Becoming Marlow Fin (2024), that catapulted her into the spotlight. Peacock recently optioned the dual-timeline mystery, which follows a 1990s runaway turned Hollywood icon whose fractured past is finally catching up with her.

The adaptation marks a major milestone for Steil. She said seeing her characters transition from the page to a potential screen production is a surreal experience. It isn’t just a career win, she said, it’s a validation of her belief that her writing has a universal appeal among readers and viewers.

“It’s so fun to see your characters in a different light, in a different medium. I just can’t wait to see what they do with it.”

Steil admits the creative process can sometimes be thwarted by rejection, failure, and imposter syndrome, but encourages budding writers to view these setbacks as necessary steps toward finding their authentic voice.

Steil suggested that writers “just get dirty” if they want to break into publishing.

“Play in the mud, go for it. It’s not going to be pretty, it’s not going to be perfect, and that’s okay. Your first draft is not going to be good. It shouldn’t be good. It will get better.”

From the quiet classrooms in Des Moines to the high-pressure sets of Hollywood, Steil continues to prove that for a writer, the best story is often the one hidden just beneath the surface.

Ellen Won Steil is the author of three books: Fortune (2023), Becoming Marlow Fin (2024), and The Lives of Others (2025). Steil lives in Minnesota with her husband and two sons.