Hello! My name is Ross McCleary. I am a fiction writer, poet, and spoken word performer from Edinburgh, Scotland. My work has been widely published, including in Structo, Litro, and Extra Teeth. I am available to perform at spoken word events, workshops, writing commissions, and everything in between.
In 2019, the Scottish Book Trust awarded me a New Writer’s Award for Fiction. In the same year my pamphlet ‘Endorse Me, You Cowards!’ was published by Stewed Rhubarb. It can be purchased through the publisher or from me directly, through either my contact form or by email.
A novella, Portrait of the Artist as a Viable Alternative to Death, was published by Maudlin House in 2016. It was described as “yowlingly funny and wrenchingly tragic” by Rachel McCrum; “frequently reach[es] astonishing places” by Martin MacInnes, and “exhaustingly beautiful” by Ross Sutherland. Excerpts of it can be read here, and heard here.
Until the pandemic, I was an organiser with Inky Fingers, a monthly spoken word open mic night, and I have organised, booked, and written events with Andrew Blair under the name Poetry As Fuck for many years. Our output includes a Saboteur Award shortlisted show called ‘The Ambassador’s Reception’ (co-produced with Interrobang), the Wikipedia Slam (which was featured on the Janice Forsythe show) and the Slaminals of Farthing Wood.
Please add me as a connection on LinkedIn here and endorse me for Poetry and cowardice. You can see me perform some poems about work here:
Ross McCleary 