Poetry takes many different formats and it can be difficult to know how to navigate the options available as a poet looking to make the next steps in their career. In this practical masterclass, celebrating the publication of the Poetry Writers' Handbook, author and poet Sophia Blackwell will take you through the ins and outs of writing poetry, whether for publication or performance. Why do you write poetry and who are your words for? How do you craft a distinct voice? Sophia will be digging into these questions and more.
Moving beyond the written and spoken word, Sophia will talk about the practical elements of a poetry career. How do you make the finances work? What's the difference between a pamphlet or a full collection? How do you craft a twenty-minute live set, conquer live performance nerves and move on to more ambitious shows?
15 minutes will be reserved for a Q&A at the end of the masterclass.
This masterclass will be online (video platform to be confirmed) and will also be recorded so if you are unable to attend live, you'll be able to catch-up and access the recording for up to two weeks.
All attendees will be able to purchase a copy of the Poetry Writers' Handbook at a discounted price.
Sophia Blackwell is a performance poet with three published collections of poetry and the author of a novel. Her poetry has been anthologised by Bloodaxe, Nine Arches and the Emma Press among others, and between Autumn 2019 and and 2021, she hosted the LGBT+ radio show Out in South London on Resonance FM, showcasing gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans authors, musicians, comedians and other creatives like her.
Recent notable gigs include four times at Glastonbury on the Poetry & Words Stage, Women of the World (WOW) Festival at the South Bank Centre and headlining a national tour with Hammer and Tongue. She is a Literary Death Match champion, Spread the Word LGBT Hero and Diversity Role Model. She was the Former Chair of Poetry London and is a freelance editor and the current Chair of the Pride Network at Hachette UK.
The workshop fee of £30 (incl. VAT) is payable in full online.
This is a live online event which will be presented using video conferencing software. Joining instructions and full guidance will be provided by the W&A Team a week before the event start-date.
Event materials will be made available to attendees for a time-limited period after the event at the speaker's discretion.
Please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on writersandartists@bloomsbury.com so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
Accessible to All
It’s of real importance to Writers & Artists that our events and courses remain accessible to all.
- Writers & Artists has made up to five bursary places available for this event as part of our accessibility scheme. Please note, these bursary places have now been filled. Please visit our bursaries page for further information about how to apply for bursaries to other courses and masterclasses.
- At the speaker's discretion, event materials will be made available to attendees after the masterclass.
- A link to a recording of the masterclass will be circulated after the event. This will be made available to event attendees only, and for a time-limited period.
- This event will include written text and visuals. Please contact us in advance so that we can make arrangements to be sure all documents appear in a format that works for you.
- If you’d like to attend but have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, then please email AccessWA@bloomsbury.com