Doug MacLeod started writing poetry and plays in his early teens, with some of his poems published in the Melbourne Age. His first book of verse, Hippopotabus, was published when he was sixteen. Comedian John Cleese was a fan of the book and sent its author a fan letter.

MacLeod graduated from the Drama School of the Victorian College of Arts in 1982. While he was there, he wrote a number of musical scripts, including Heart in the Mouth (for the Victoria Theatre, Ballarat) and Bilge (published in 1988). My Son the Lawyer is Drowning began life at the college as a musical piece. MacLeod became well-established as a writer, especially for children, and edited Puffinalia. He has written From Pen to Print : The Making of a Book (1987) about his writing.

MacLeod's career in broadcasting began in 1982 when he wrote and presented for Rave, a weekly one hour current affairs and comedy programme on ABC radio. He also worked as a writer for many of Australia's most popular television shows including Fast Forward, Big Girls' Blouse, The Micallef Program and SeaChange. MacLeod was script editor for the ABC series Kath and Kim.