Meryl McQueen
Age 41
Sydney, Australia
Ph.D. in socio-linguistics.
The Writer
How long have you been writing?
I started seriously writing novels, poetry & short fiction about 10 years ago, after a long hiatus away from creative work.
Do you have a specific writing style?
For novels, I prefer writing literary fiction dense with evocative descriptions of place and space. My poetic bent has become more formalist over time, and I enjoy the challenge of combining tight structure with lyrical words and rhythm over the flow of free verse.
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, although not a lucrative one!
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
To have my novella about Asperger’s, “A Close Approximation of an Ordinary Life,” used in a master’s level class for teachers in special education for the past several years.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
“Debris,” a poem in formal verse.
What inspired “Debris?”
Exploring a neighborhood forest with my infant son, watching him trail his fingers along the bark of a tree and try to touch the sky. I wanted to set up a contradictory story between the constant press of artificial production leading to over-consumption and the simplicity of our deep pre-disposition for taking comfort in the natural world. Debris grew out of that.
How long did it take you to complete this piece?
Overall I probably worked on Debris for 12-15 hours in bursts of an hour at a time over many months. The first draft spun out like thread, smooth and easy, but the craft of snipping and sewing it into shape took a lot longer. This is how it usually goes when I write poetry.
Tell us about another project you are currently working on.
I’ve been working on a poem, “Was,” for the better part of eight years. My latest revision finally felt submission-worthy, and it was accepted for publication late last year.
What inspired this poem?
Like a lot of my work, this poem takes as its central premise the juxtaposition of home and away, of here and there, of apart and together. As a lifelong global nomad, I am in constant flux between restlessness and the lure of putting down roots. Was sets up this dynamic in the broader context of humanity’s place in nature, and our desire to both subjugate and be subject to the world in which we live. It’s also a love story, a narrative of being too far away, and of transforming to become part of a changed reality.
Where can we find “Was?”
In the latest issue of Town Creek Poetry
The Methods
Where do you write?
Home, with the curtains mostly drawn against the piercing Southern Hemisphere sunshine, and earplugs in. Any noise is an unwelcome disruption.
What are your thoughts on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing?
Six or seven years ago I had an agent for two of my novels, but nothing came of it. A few years after that, I decided to self-publish twelve of my books on Amazon, and I haven’t looked back. I still focus on traditional publishing outlets for my poetry, but I am so glad that I went down the self-publishing road for the novels. I’ve sold thousands of books, and reached many more people than I would have with the full scope of my work, from middle grade books though to young adult and literary fiction.
How many drafts do you generally go through before you consider a piece to be complete? Anywhere from 7 to 37. Some poems that ultimately find a publication home have been crashing like cymbals in my head for a decade or more.
What are your thoughts on writing at a computer vs. writing longhand?
Whatever gets the words out. For poetry, I often start with scribbles in the margins of anything at hand, and then move to my laptop. Because much of my work is highly structured, it helps to have the standardization of a screen while I mold the piece.
The Madness
Who is your favorite author?
Emily Dickinson for her incredible inner life and her gift of insight into human struggles with the big questions. My contemporary favorite is the Australian poet Stephen Edgar. He writes rich, precise, dense poetry that arcs across ancient mythology and modern angst with equal skill.
What is the greatest occupational hazard for a writer?
Becoming a recluse—although arguably, that could be the greatest occupational reward for a writer as well! There is such joy, power, and energy in solitude that sometimes I have to drag myself back into the world.
What is your favorite word?
‘Scintillate,’ though I’d never use it in a poem because it has an (undeserved) reputation for being both sentimental and pretentious.
Rain or Sunshine?
Damp, still, gray.
Beach or Mountains?
Forest.
Pen or Pencil?
Pistachio green pen.
Additional Reading on Meryl
Australian DIR/Floortime Research Network—in one of my other lives, I’m the founder and director of this network dedicated to research into developmental approaches to treating autism spectrum disorders.