December Newsletter
You might have read that TinyLetter, the newsletter platform I’ve been using for Trowbridge Stanza and my poetry workshops in Bradford-on-Avon, is going to be discontinued from February 2024. Therefore, I’ve started using Substack to share this information, which is why my newsletter has a different look for some of you. I’m going to be away for most of December so I thought I’d send you a few things you might like to know about in the meantime.
Ledbury Hellens Poetry Prize for Second Collections
There’s an online award ceremony for the Ledbury Hellens Poetry Prize for Second Collections taking place on Monday, 4 December 7pm - 8.30pm. Tickets are free and bookable here. All of the shortlisted poets will read from their books as follows:
Pilgrim Bell, Kaveh Akbar (Chatto)
All the Names Given, Raymond Antrobus (Picador)
A Blood Condition, Kayo Chingonyi (Chatto)
England’s Green, Zaffar Kunial (Faber)
The Poison Glen, Annemarie Ní Churreáin (The Gallery Press)
Bloom, Sarah Westcott (Pavilion Poetry)
I wonder if you will agree with the judges’ decision when the winner is announced?
The T. S. Eliot Prize
Another big prize coming up (winner announced in January) is the T. S. Eliot Prize. You can watch videos of all the shortlisted writers, read reviews and find out more about the collections on the Prize’s website. This year, the shortlist is as follows:
Jason Allen-Paisant, Self-Portrait as Othello (Carcanet Press)
Joe Carrick-Varty, More Sky (Carcanet Press)
Jane Clarke, A Change in the Air (Bloodaxe Books)
Kit Fan, The Ink Cloud Reader (Carcanet Press)
Katie Farris, Standing in the Forest of Being Alive
(Pavilion Poetry / Liverpool University Press)
Ishion Hutchinson, School of Instructions (Faber & Faber)
Fran Lock, Hyena! (Poetry Bus Press)
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, The Map of the World (Gallery Press)
Sharon Olds, Balladz (Cape Poetry)
Abigail Parry, I Think We’re Alone Now (Bloodaxe Books)
Modron Poetry Magazine Writing Prompts
Modron, an online publication writing on nature and the ecological crisis, has been running a month of free writing prompts with an option to donate to medical charities working in Gaza if you’d like. You can access all of the prompts via Modron’s website.
Some favourite poetry websites
Meanwhile, should you be in need of more poetry news, reviews, recently published poems, writing prompts and ideas, there’s lots to read on the Poetry Society’s website and, from the US, the Poetry Foundation website is a wonderful free (and ad-free) resource.
Information about poetry publishers, publishing opportunities and competitions
In case you’re thinking of submitting your work to a publisher, the National Poetry Library in London keeps a comprehensive list of all poetry publishers and poetry magazines, as well as information about poetry competitions to enter. And writer and poet Robin Houghton publishes a UK and Irish Poetry Magazines Spreadsheet, updated quarterly, with information about submission windows. Find out more here.
And in January…
On Saturday, 6 January 2pm-4pm, Trowbridge Stanza is meeting at Drawing Projects UK, next to Trowbridge train station, to share and swap poetry magazines and books. Bring along any book/magazine you no longer need for a poetry swap shop. More details here. Tickets are £5 via Drawing Projects UK. Everyone welcome.
Poetry Reading at Heron’s Bookshop, Clifton Arcade, Bristol
I’m reading with Matt Bryden and Isabella Mead, who were joint winners with me in Live Canon’s 2023 pamphlet competition, at the rather fabulous independent bookshop Heron’s on Saturday, 13 January 5pm. It would be lovely to see you there! More details at Heron’s website.
Poetry Making at The Make Space
I’m running a small-group (maximum eight participants) poetry workshop at The Make Space in Bradford-on-Avon on Saturday, 27 January, 2pm-4.30pm. We’ll read and talk about a wide selection of contemporary poetry, and write and share first drafts of new poems. More details here or please get in touch if you would like to know more.
Finally, thank you!
I had two poetry pamphlets published in 2023, gave quite a few poetry readings, organised some gatherings for Trowbridge Stanza and taught some poetry workshops in Bradford-on-Avon. Thank you to everyone who’s been involved with any or all of these events, it’s been a pleasure to rub shoulders with you. Let’s hope for more of the same, and perhaps some better things as well, in 2024.