Q&A With Local Author/Journalist Lyndsey D'Arcangelo

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, a freelance journalist and author, recently celebrated the birth of a baby girl and is taking some time off to raise her. But the author of three YA novels -- The Trouble with Emily Dickinson, The Education of Queenie McBride and The Crabapple Tree -- was able to answer a few questions about her career, her life experiences and writing for a teenage audience, particularly the LGBT community. D’Arcangelo, in addition to writing for this audience, also gives classroom lectures, writing workshops, and attends LGBT and Gay-Straight Alliance group events. You can reach her on her website, lyndseydarcangelo.com.

- When exactly did you start writing? When did you realize it was something you wanted to do for a living?

I started writing when I was a little kid. I'd make up stories all of the time. By the time I got into high school, I realized that I had a unique talent and I wanted to make writing my career.

- You said on your Web site that you "remember fondly each and every writing camp" you've attended. Which was your favorite?

I went to a writing camp at Clemson University when I was 16 years old. I had to fill out an application and get recommendations from teachers just to attend. I learned so much during those two weeks and I think it made a huge difference in my confidence level. I also made some great friends while I was there and connected with other creative minds of the same age.

- How have you managed to juggle journalism and creative writing, since their styles are rather different?

I was lucky to have a variety of different writing jobs after I graduated from college, in which I gained certain skills that I didn't get while in school. Through real world experience, I learned how to write journalistic articles, columns and editorials, write for the web, write fiction, write blog posts and write copy for advertisements — all which require different creative approaches.

- You focus on LGBT youth in your YA novels, as well as in My Story Is Out. What was your own coming out process like?

My coming out process lasted 22 years. I knew I was gay when I was 8 years old but I also learned rather quickly that being gay was frowned upon. I kept it hidden all throughout high school because I didn't want to lose my friends or hurt my reputation. College offered me a chance to break free a little bit but I was still reserved and worried about what people would think if they ever found out. I lived in Boston, MA after graduation and immersed myself in their gay community. That's where I learned the most about myself, gained confidence in who I was and embraced my sexuality wholeheartedly. Once I was comfortable with myself, I began coming out to friends and family.

- How much of your experience has manifest(ed) itself into your writing? Do you believe that you can ever separate your own life from that of your work?

The best writing advice I ever received was to "write what you know." My first novel, which is unpublished, is a suspense thriller about a topic I knew nothing about. I had to do a wealth of research and you can tell in the writing that it's not authentic. It came across as stale and forced. So, I wrote The Trouble with Emily Dickinson after that and it was based on my personal experience and real people I had met. It was such a different result and I think it's the reason why the book won a literary award. It was authentic because I wrote what I knew. For me, I know I can't separate my life experiences from my writing because life experiences shape our stories. They go hand in hand. The best novels are written by those people who have firsthand knowledge with the topic, whether it's the law, history or even wizards (JK Rowling).

- I noticed that you've had some writing opportunities while also raising a baby girl. What has the work/life balance been like since she was born?

I wanted to try and continue writing while staying home with my daughter, but I quickly found out that it wasn't going to work. Maggie is my priority. So I had to scale back on a lot of things. My days are spent taking care of her first and foremost. In the little free time that I do have, I write a blog post for Curve Magazine's website called “Mr. Mom.” I'm also working on writing a screen play, which I've never done before.

- Can you talk a little bit about your newest project, My Story Is Out, and where the idea came from?

My Story Is Out is a work in progress. The idea came to me in 2011, because I thought a book like this would be great for kids who are balancing sexuality with high school and need to connect with other kids who are going through the same thing. When I pitched the idea to my publisher, they loved it and wanted to work on the project with me.

-What stories, either through this work or in your interactions with students, fans, and other members of the LGBT community, have left the greatest impact on you?

Whenever I talk to kids who have read my books and they tell me that they love them or the books made them feel normal or they are enamored with a certain character, I know in my heart that I was meant to write YA for LGBT kids.

- What is your next project?

I'm in between projects right now because I am focused on raising my daughter. But, as I said before, I am working on a screenplay and I'm hoping to do something with it when it's finished.

-What compelled you to start writing a screenplay? What are the differences you've found between that and writing for journalism/creatively?

I just wanted to try something new. I had dabbled in it before, right after college but kind of set it aside. Now that I am in between books and taking a break from freelancing, any free time I have is dedicated to working on the screenplay. There's no deadline for it, so there's no pressure. It's just a fun thing. A screenplay is made up of mostly dialogue, while novels are full of lengthy descriptions. The dialogue of the characters drives the screenplay. I really enjoy writing dialogue between characters, so I'm having fun with this.

-How important is the city of Buffalo in your writing? Why or why not?

It's important when I write certain articles [to] highlight the city in a positive light. I love Buffalo and any time I can share the city with the world, I will. In fiction, I haven't really used Buffalo in any of my books. It just didn't fit. But I am using it as the location of my screenplay.

-How important have you found representation of LGBT youth in media (in a nuanced manner) when it comes to their feelings of being accepted as a part of society?

I think that social media has actually done more of a service for LGBT youth. There are so many clubs, organizations and media outlets that post positive things on Facebook and Twitter in regards to social justice and LGBT rights. There are also so many television shows and gay characters in mainstream media that kids today can relate to. It's wonderful to see.

-Do you think seeing better representations of it while growing up and coming out would have helped you?

Yes! I say this all the time to kids. When I was in high school, Melissa Etheridge had just come out. That's it! Ellen had yet to make an announcement about it. Now, kids see her on television every day. It makes a huge difference. But our society moves generation by generation. The generation before me had it that much harder. Each generation paves the way for the next.