Headshot 3 photo by Phillipa croft

About

Lindsay Zier-Vogel is a Toronto-based author, educator, grant writer, and love letterer. Following the publication of her critically acclaimed debut novel Letters to Amelia (Book*hug, 2021), she published a place-based picture book, Dear Street (Kids Can Press, 2023), that is a Junior Library Guild book, a Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Book of 2023, and nominated for the 2024 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award.

After studying dance at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, she received her BA in English and then her Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Toronto, where she worked with thesis advisor, Anne Michaels. Her work has been published in various publications including Chatelaine, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Today's Parent, The Ampersand Review, The New Quarterly, The Letters Page (University of Nottingham), Where The Nights are Twice as Long (Goose Lane Editions), Watermarks: Writing by Lido Lovers and Wild Swimmers (Frogmore Press), The Temz ReviewThe Quarantine ReviewThe Lampeter Reviewroom, Taddle Creek, and The Varsity.

Her hand-bound books are housed in the permanent collection at the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library in Toronto. In addition to leading ongoing creative writing workshops with adults and youth through the Toronto Public Library, she was also the director of Word-Play's Writing In The City, a creative writing program for youth based out of TYPE Books in Toronto, and worked as a professor at Humber College's professional writing program. Lindsay is a columnist with Open Book.

Lindsay is also the creator of the internationally-acclaimed Love Lettering Project, a community engagement initiative. Since 2004, Lindsay has been asking participants in over 300 events to write love letters to their communities and hide them for strangers to find, spreading the love. The project has been all over the world - from New York City to Whitehorse, Toronto to Teresopolis, Brazil, L.A. to London. The Love Lettering Project has been featured in international media including The Atlantic's CityLab, NPR, The Londonist, CBC Television's The NationalGlobal National, CTV's Canada AMToronto StarThe Globe and Mail and CBC Radio's Metro Morning (where she is a frequent guest) and World Report and was deemed one of the 50 reasons to love Toronto by Toronto Life. Because of The Love Lettering Project, CBC Radio has deemed Lindsay a "national treasure."

Lindsay is represented by Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists.

INTERVIEWS

Open Book
Writer-in-residence Lindsay Zier-Vogel creates an unforgettable debut.

University of Toronto Arts & Science News
"Letters to Amelia": Alumna Lindsay ZIer-Vogel's debut novel combines the art and love of letter writing, U of T and Amelia Earhart

She Does The City
How a fascination with Amelia Earhart and a love for letter writing inspired 'Letters to Amelia'

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
with Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, and Cece Lyra

Word Weaver Podcast
with Louise Claire Johnson

Junction Reads
Interview with Lindsay Zier-Vogel

 

Dispatches from a Creative Life
10 Questions with Kate Jenks Landry

In Conversation: Book*hug Press
Zier-Vogel reveals her fundamental hopefulness, her admiration for feminist icon Amelia Earhart, and her passion for the written (and enveloped) word.

Between Two Pillars
the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library podcast

The Lonely Writers Podcast
with Eden Boudreau

Quarantine Review Podcast
The Language Tangle

Video: University of Toronto Arts & Science news

rob mclennan’s blog
12 or 20 (second series) questions with Lindsay Zier-Vogel

Lindsay Zier-Vogel : my (small press) writing day
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to write after he was born...

 

CityLab: Love Letters for That Special City in Your Life
"Dear Akron, I'm not from you, but you've made me your own, and there's no place else I'd rather be."

CBC TV
Lindsay Zier-Vogel swears that picnics are a great way to enjoy the city during the winter season.

CBC Toronto
Make the most of the chilly weather with a winter picnic

U of T Magazine: She Loves You
Lindsay Zier-Vogel's eight-year quest to make strangers' days a little better - through the magic of love letters

Taddle Creek magazine: Lack of Pinterest
A good picnic is about more than creating the perfect charcuterie board, explains Lindsay Zier-Vogel.

 

IN PRINT

Chatelaine
I was a Professional Dancer Who Quit 20 Years Ago. Then I Returned to the Dance Studio

The New Quarterly
A Losing Game of Tetris

Taddle Creek
Midnight to 2 a.m.

Today's Parent
5 tips to plan the ultimate family picnic

The Quarantine Review
Almost Forty Days

The Temz Review
You Showed Up Wearing Pants

Today's Parent
Transitioning your toddler from naptime to quiet time

Taddle Creek
Letters to Amelia: vii-ix

The Varsity
Harbour Grace

The Toronto Star
Something sensible and solid

Taddle Creek
A miracle somehow