Nottingham workshop

I'm running a poetry writing workshop next Saturday (September 28th) at Nottingham Poetry Society's monthly meeting. It starts at 2.45pm, at Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, and non-members can come along too, paying a visitor's fee of £5. Among other things, we'll be using maps to generate new work.

Nottingham Festival Of Words

I'll be returning to this in more detail in the coming weeks, but for now I'll just draw your attention to the fact that the Nottingham Festival of Words is taking place between February 9th and 24th.

Writers taking part include Alice Oswald, A L Kennedy, Michael Rosen and David Almond, but there's a huge programme of events for you to choose from if you're anywhere near. If you're not, well, Nottingham's a lovely city, just off the motorway, so what are you waiting for.

As part of it, I'll be running an open air poetry workshop at Attenborough Nature Reserve (well worth a visit in its own right) on February 10th, and the following Sunday, February 17th, I'll be reading at the Left Lion Presents... event.

Hope to see you there!

Dig this!

I'm running a poetry workshop at Polesworth Abbey on Friday from 10am to 2pm - there are further details here if you'd like to sign up. There are also a number of workshops at later dates, run by the likes of Jackie Rowe.

I've been along to the dig a couple of times in the last few weeks, and there are some really intriguing discoveries being made. Come along to the workshop, and you can find out more about them, and hopefully turn them into poetry.

No previous experience is necessary - all you need is a pen and some paper...

Hidden Nature

A week on Saturday, May 5th, I'm running a poetry workshop - Hidden Nature - at Attenborough Nature Reserve, just outside Nottingham, in conjunction with Nottingham Writers' Studio. It starts at 10.30am and runs until 4.30pm.

We'll attempt to translate birdsong into poetry, track down long-distance travellers in transit, turn the tables by watching the birdwatchers, and make maps of our experiences. The morning will be spent out on the reserve (which should be full of migrant birds at this time of year), and the afternoon in the comfort of the new visitor centre.

If you don't know Attenborough, it's a great reserve created out of gravel pits next to the River Trent. Although there's still a working quarry on site, it's got a great record of attracting interesting birds, especially migrants on passage.

You don’t need any previous experience of watching wildlife - the emphasis will be formly on writing, rather than rarities. Just bring a pen, paper, bags of energy, and a pair of binoculars if you have them (don't worry if you haven't, I'll have some spares available to borrow).

Price is £55, £40 for NWS members. To book, download a form using the link here, or call 0115 959 7947. Lunch is available at the Visitor Centre cafe. More details on other NWS workshops, courses and events can also be found here.

Leicester Poetry Workshop

This Sunday (September 19th) at 7pm will see the first of what are intended to be monthly poetry workshops at Phoenix Square, Midland Street, Leicester.

The title of the first workshop is What Is Poetry, and the aim is to provide somewhere for new poets, or those with some experience but who are looking to move their work on to the next level, to talk about their poems and poetry in general in a friendly, informal, constructively critical environment.

It may well take a few months to gather pace, but if you think you could benefit from taking part, or help other poets benefit, come along on the night. It's free, and refreshments will be available in the cafe bar.