Lindsay Young is a poet from New York, based in Richmond, Virginia. They are a Winter Tangerine alumnus, a 2020 Watering Hole fellow, and a two time 2021 Best of the Net nominee. Their work has been published in The Offing Magazine, So to Speak: Feminist Journal, The Hellebore, and elsewhere. Their manuscript titled “In Your Absence”,” was long-listed for Button Poetry’s 2020 Chapbook contest, and was the winner of the 3rd Annual Backbone Press Chapbook Competition in 2021. Young currently works as a freelance poet and workshop facilitator, and is getting their MSW from Columbia University.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I first realized I wanted to be a writer in the second grade, after impressing my favorite teacher with my ability to rhyme in long form. The writer in me has been blooming ever since.
Which genre are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate about poetry. The way it grants everything a pulse.
What is the most surprising thing you learned while publishing your work?
The most surprising thing I learned while publishing my work is that holding a book in my hands has still not made me a millionaire. Go figure!
How has being a youth counselor impacted your writing?
Being a youth counselor grants me a lot of language for different facets of emotionality which has brought a lot of life to my work.
What advice would you offer new writers?
The advice that I would offer to new writers: Who you are when you start is who you will spend the entirety of your writing career trying to get back to. Remember who you are now, why you write now, what moves you now, and hold onto those things with both hands. You are your best offering.