Finnian Burnett

Welcome to the five questions Series. Each week, I’ll ask five questions of some of my favorite authors, editors, publishers, and other industry professionals. This week, I’m talking with Lindsey Harrington, poet, memoirist, fiction writer, and more.

You recently received a substantial grant to write your memoir. What has that changed about your writing process or your own feelings about writing?

In terms of my feelings, I would describe it as affirming more than anything. Some writers talk about imposters syndrome—I have never experienced that. I’ve always firmly believed in my writing abilities. In Grade Eight, I swore at my English teacher for giving me an eighty on a creative writing assignment and got suspended! I thought I deserved a 100%. Still, having a jury of your peers pick your project from hundreds and tell you your writing is worth investing in feels amazing and I’m so appreciative.

In terms of process, it will allow me to take some time away from my day job, so I can write more hours a day, and I won’t feel spread so thin (which is a perpetual problem for writers with day jobs!).

What advice would you give to people who want to write about their own lives but are worried about the fallout from family, friends, co-workers?

My first piece of creative nonfiction was published under a pseudonym, because I was afraid of the repercussions. Once you let the genie out of the bottle there’s no putting it back in, so it’s important to weigh the personal risks and rewards. Ask yourself why you want to write this story AND publish it (because you can do one without the other).

If you choose to publish, you have to be ready for whatever fallout comes. Some writers wait until certain people pass away, fictionalize their story to save their circle (and themselves) the potential pain, and/or have courageous conversations with their circle first.

For me, no matter the cost of telling my story, I am now willing to accept them. Telling my story exactly as I see it is that important to me.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I do have a superpower—it’s writing 😊

You are currently shopping a short story collection. Can you tell me a little about what it’s about?

My short story collection is called Coming Apart and it’s all about breakups in all their forms (with romantic partners, friends, family members, even versions of ourselves). But I’ve put querying it on hold as I want my Unmotherhood Memoir to be my first book!

How important is writing community in your life and what do you do to find it?

Community was the most unexpected gift writing has given me. It’s definitely not why I set out to write, but it has been such a wonderful byproduct.

My life has completely transformed since I started writing. Reading and writing is at the centre, and I’m surrounded by the most supportive community in the process. I help organize and host a writers’ open mic, sit on my writing federation’s programming committee, have a writers’ group, have a mentor, and go to all the literary events and conferences I can. Writers are the most open and welcoming lot.

Bonus question: Have you ever taken a picture of a weird bird?

While walking the dogs yesterday, I saw a crow standing on the neck of a dead rat, eating its insides in the middle of the road. I wish I had taken a photo. That image will definitely make its way into a story soon.

Lindsey Harrington can be found at her website here, on Instagram here. Read her letter in the New Yorker here and check her out on the CBC longlist here.