In this ongoing series, Write Now, we will highlight writers from all over the world at different stages in their careers. From how they’re managing to write amidst a pandemic, to sharing their favorite personal work, we’ll take a look at what it means to persevere as a writer when the world spins faster than ever around us. In this installment, meet Lindz McLeod from Edinburgh, Scotland. William Carlos Williams famously said: “I think all writing is a disease. You can’t stop it.”
What encapsulates that sentiment better than being a writer in 2020? In good times and bad, writers still find ways to contextualize realities, build worlds, and expand audiences’ imaginations. That’s as true for a newcomer as it is for a seasoned author. In this ongoing series, Write Now, we will highlight writers from all over the world at different stages in their careers. From how they’re managing to write amidst a pandemic, to sharing their favorite personal work, we’ll take a look at what it means to persevere as a writer when the world spins faster than ever around us. In this installment, meet Lindz McLeod from Edinburgh, Scotland. Q: How has the pandemic—and as a result, quarantine—impacted your writing? Lockdown has been incredibly helpful for me. Because I’ve been working remotely, it has given me the isolation needed to write productively. I keep a to-do list just for my writing and it ranges from scribbled notes to pending deadlines. Having small, concrete goals allows me to feel like I’m achieving something tangible. Q: You just recently acquired representation, congratulations! Can you tell us about that process? Getting an agent was a chaotic whirlwind for me. At the start of this year, I had returned to Scotland from New York City and was feeling unwell. I suspected I had COVID-19 but testing wasn’t available to the general public, so I did my best to divert my attention to my manuscript. I participated in a few of the Twitter pitch days and got some responses from agents. After following up with the ones who showed interest, Laura Zats from Headwater Literary Management was the fifth agent I queried, and she was the first to make a full manuscript request in mid-May. As I was waiting to hear back from her, I had received a few other full asks and had also received rejections. In August, Laura asked to schedule a phone call and by the end of that call, she offered representation. Q: Was she the one you were ultimately hoping to sign with? When she offered representation, I circled back to a few agents who still had my manuscript, giving them a reasonable timeframe to respond. But in the end, I was eager to sign with Laura. I had been stalking her on social media and was impressed by how she handled several industry crises, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. My partner is black, so it was especially crucial to me that any agent I considered was an outspoken ally, using their privilege for good. Q: What advice do you have for any new writer hoping to seek representation one day? Finish your manuscript first! Make sure it’s polished! No one wants to hear that but it’s true. Agents are not interested in unfinished, unedited work. If you can get a fresh pair of eyes on your query before you send it out, even better. Also, important to note: do your agency research! Do your homework and send targeted queries in batches, so if any feedback comes your way, you can incorporate it without having used up all the arrows in your quiver, so to speak. Q: They say writers shouldn’t have favorites of their own work—stories, characters, what have you—but do you have one? I really love “Mineral Bouquet” which was published by Twist in Time Magazine in April. There are certain lines that I think are some of my best work, one of my favorites being: You may gain additional respect – but lose personal touches – if you simply write BARB on each one. It works as a threat on multiple levels. I love that this piece allowed me to be as weird, dark, and comical as I wanted to be. It was also fun to play with form. My agent has called this my “Law and Order” fiction, referencing Carmen Maria Machado’s segments from Her Body and Other Parties. Q: Any literary magazines you recommend for readers and writers alike? I love perhappened mag, I think they publish some of the best contemporary poetry and prose around. I’m honored to have been in both their inaugural issue and their Lights Out issue. In the latter issue, my poem, “dormant,” serves as an aperitif for my new novel which integrates the disease known as Fatal Familia Insomnia with a classic murder mystery. I also really enjoy Apex, Smokelong, and Electric Lit. Lindz Mcleod’s short stories have been published by the Scotsman newspaper, the Scottish Book Trust, 365 Tomorrows, and more. She has published poetry with Allegory Ridge, Hellebore, Grain Magazine, and more. She is represented by Headwater Literary Management. Find her on Twitter @lindzmcleod. Comments are closed.
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