12 or 20 (second series) questions with Jill Mceldowney
Jill Mceldowneyis the author of the full length collection Otherlight(YesYes Books) and the chapbook Airs Above Ground (Finishing Line Press). She is a founder and editor ofMadhouse Press. Her previously published work can be found in journals such asPrairie Schooner, Fugue, Vinyl, Muzzle, and other notable publications.
1 - How didyour first book or chapbook change your life? How does your most recent workcompare to your previous? How does it feel different?
Otherlight is my first full lengthcollection! I’m super excited about it–publishing a full length collection issomething I’ve been chasing for almost 10 years so it feels amazing to have itout in the world. I’m incredibly lucky to have been able to bring this book outwith YesYes Books–working with them has been nothing short of absolutelyamazing.
2 - How didyou come to poetry first, as opposed to, say, fiction or non-fiction?
Iactually started out as a fiction writer! I took an Intro to Poetry class in undergrad to fill my required credits. Theclass was taught by Josh Young who, about half-way through the semester, waslike “You need to be a poet.” That kind of decided it for me honestly.
3 - How longdoes it take to start any particular writing project? Does your writinginitially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear lookingclose to their final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?
Iwrote Otherlight very quickly. Ittook me about 3 months to write the first full draft and then I spent about twoyears revising it and rewriting it. I used to be able to write so fast–I wrote2 full length manuscripts while in grad school. Now, my process is much slowerwhich I actually think is more in line with the material that I’m writing aboutand thinking about.
Iusually start out with a plan for a chapbook and then see how things go. I lovereally concise, straight to the point books so that process really makes sensefor me.
4 - Wheredoes a poem usually begin for you? Are you an author of short pieces that endup combining into a larger project, or are you working on a "book"from the very beginning?
I’mdefinitely a “book poet.” I don’t know if that’s an actual “thing” or not butI’m always writing toward a book or a full length manuscript. I’m not the poetwho can write a singular stand out poem. I love the challenge of working on amanuscript and the way verse lends itself to world building and creating anatmosphere. Building a world for the poems to live in is one of the most funparts of the whole process.
5 - Arepublic readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sortof writer who enjoys doing readings?
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6 - Do youhave any theoretical concerns behind your writing? What kinds of questions areyou trying to answer with your work? What do you even think the currentquestions are?
Otherlight as a whole is particularlyinterested in interrogating grief–what it means to individual and what it meansto live with unresolved grief. I really wanted this book to–as closely aspossible–depict grief and the processing of loss. It bothers me when the end ofa book wraps up grief so neatly at the end and gives the impression thateverything is okay. It doesn’t really work like. In the last few poems of Otherlight I wanted my reader to get thesense that the speaker was working through their loss, their grief–but wasn’tnecessary working their way out of it.
7 – What doyou see the current role of the writer being in larger culture? Do they evenhave one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?
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8 - Do youfind the process of working with an outside editor difficult or essential (orboth)?
Idefinitely have my “first readers” who I send everything to. Caroline Chavatel,who works with me on Madhouse Press, is a brilliant editor. Katherine Sullivanwas the editor for Otherlight. Working with her was so amazing–her attention todetail made the book that much stronger. It was a gift to have an editor whosaw what the book could be from the start.
9 - What isthe best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?
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10 - Whatkind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How doesa typical day (for you) begin?
I definitely don’t have a strict writing routine–I have to writewhen I can now. I'm a lawyer and that is a job that can definitely be allconsuming. I have to be kind of crafty with my time and how I work in poems. IfI have a 5-10 min break between meetings or research or drafting a legal brief,I’ll try and draft something–anything–even if its just a line. I take a lot ofvoice memos now while I'm driving and craft poems out of them later.
11 - Whenyour writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of abetter word) inspiration?
Interestinglyenough whenever I feel stuck or like I can’t write–I go read a novel. Readingprose really helps me when I get stuck. I also I have books that I just keepreturning to and rereading that just make me want to write poems. Just to namea few, some of those books are AmpersandRevisited by Simeon Berry, CarolinaGhost Woods by Judy Jordan, Fieldnoteson Ordinary Love by Keith S. Wilson, AHunger by Lucie Brock-Broido.
12 - Whatfragrance reminds you of home?
Lavender.
13 - David W.McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there any other formsthat influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visual art?
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14 - Whatother writers or writings are important for your work, or simply your lifeoutside of your work?
Having a life outside ofbeing a “poet” is definitely important for me and my work. Even just having ajob that is not academia or poetry related is really healthy I think. It worksfor me. I spend time riding my horse, doing other types of art.
15 - Whatwould you like to do that you haven't yet done?
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16 - If youcould pick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or, alternately,what do you think you would have ended up doing had you not been a writer?
Itwould certainly be nice to be a full time writer. :) Right now I’m working intax and immigration law full time but I love poetry
17 - Whatmade you write, as opposed to doing something else?
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18 - What wasthe last great book you read? What was the last great film?
I’mworking my way through all the books I bought while I was in law school anddidn’t have the time to read. I just finished Yellow Rain by Mai Der Vang and thought it was absolutelybrilliant.
19 - What areyou currently working on?
I’m currently working on a manuscript that is investigating adult friendships, childhood, nostalgia. I’m also heavy into the revision process on a manuscript that continues my study with grief, trauma, violence.
