As the 200th anniversary of the parliamentary abolition of the slave trade passes, we invite North West based poets to submit original poems of up to sixty lines that engage with the theme of: Manchester, cotton and the slave trade.

Closing date: Monday 18th February 2008.

Very Brief Background

Manchester’s wealth was built on its cotton mills. These mills sourced cotton from slave plantations of the Southern States of America. Cotton was often brought to England by s...

‘The 3rd Annual Ted Walters International Short Story and Poetry Competition 2009.’
1st prize Short Story Category: Competition Winner £200, Runner up will receive £50
1st Prize Poetry Category: Competition Winner £200, Runner up will receive £50.
Competition Description & Rules.
Deadline for all categories 31st May 2009.
(Unfortunately any entries received after the above date will be deemed invalid.)

The University of Liverp...

Yes, all you live lit lovers it's back, Manchester's foremost live literature night but it's a new time and new place though it's still absolutely FREE!
Monday January 28th 2008
Show starts 6pm
FREE ENTRY
Manchester Central Library Committee Room St. Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD
This month RE:Verberate is here to put the pep back in your literary step this winter with a fantastic evening of entertainment.
Readers:
Grace Cadbury Sobey
Paul Neads, independent publisher of The Ugly Tree an...

Word Market celebrates
the written word through a programme of exciting, live events and projects
throughout the year.

As well as an annual
festival, we hold regular workshops, master-classes and performances – with
well-known poets, best-selling authors, publishers, literary agents and theatre
directors.

Word Market has something
to offer all ages, abilities and interests.

Word Market – for
people who love words.

Introduction
Dear Readers and Writers...

Mslexia 2008 WOMEN'S POETRY COMPETITION

Judge: Carol Ann Duffy

1st Prize £1000, 2nd prize £500, 3rd prize £250

22 other finalists will win £25 each and all winning poems will be published in Mslexia

Closing date: 25 APRIL 2008 see http://www.mslexia.co.uk/menu/stop_press/poetry_comp.html

Winners will be notified mid-June and winning poems will be published in the summer...

2008 Cardiff International Poetry Competition Closing Date:
Friday 1 February 2008
The closing date for the 2008 Cardiff International Poetry Competition is looming ever closer. But don’t panic there are still a couple of weeks left in which to enter the competition and be in with the chance of walking away with a massive £5000 for just one poem. With further prizes of £500 for second place, £250 for third, and £50 each for five runners-up there’s even more chance...

Here’s a brilliant idea: FREE informal storytelling circle sessions to tie in with national ‘day ofs’ and ‘week ofs’, like Chinese New year and National Book Day.
The first and perhaps most important is: Stories of Childhood and Families, 17th January
The events run from January to March, as part of Liverpool Capital of Culture - and it doesn’t involve Ringo or The Fat Controller. All take place at Life Bank Centre, Quorn Street, Kensington, L7 2QR. More details in Gig Guid...

The theme of the first Buxton Poetry Competition is Water. Buxton’s development has been dominated by the importance and abundance of water, one of the world’s most important, enjoyable and life-giving commodities.
The Competition The competition is open to anyone of any age. There are three competition categories:
Open Poetry Ages 19 and over Young People’s Poetry Young people aged between 12 and 18 Children’s Poetry Children aged up to 11 years old Competition ThemeP...

Our first poem of the month for 2008 was written by the popular leading North West poet, Cath Nichols. One-time coordinator of Liverpool's Dead Good Poets Society, Cath has gone on to various commissions and publications, including a highly successful radio play, appearances at several literature and arts festivals, and publications and recordings including Oxfam's ‘Life lines’ CD (£4.99 from your local Oxfam!), where she appears alongside Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage, Wendy Cope...

Alec Rapkin (pictured), 64, is an amateur naturalist who was announced as the Peak District's first Poet Laureate on National Poetry Day (October 6 2005) after a competition that drew national attention.
Now you could be the second Peake Poet Laureate to find out how check out the link below http://www.artsinthepeak.co.uk/poet%20laureate%20of%20the%20peak.pdf...

A FREE intensive Creative Writing Course
and Literacy Workshop
Have you been a UK/EC/EEA resident for the last 3 years
Are you aged 16 or over?
Do you live/employee/volunteer in Greater Manchester?
If so you are eligible for this free two-session course at Bury College (OCN accredited and supported by the European Social Fund, terms and conditions apply)
Saturday 23rd February 9.30 ?" 4.0
&
Saturday 1st March 9.30 ?" 4.00...

Poems: up to 40 lines, any subject and style.
Judge: Linda Chase
Linda Chase is an American poet, living in Manchester, who teaches at Manchester Metropolitan University and runs Poets and Players.
Publications ?" These Goodbyes, Fatchance Press, 1995; with Carcanet ?" The Wedding Spy, 2001 and Extended Family, 2006

Cash Prizes: 1st prize, £70; 2nd, £40; 3rd, £25.
Plus: Sweetens Bookshop Prize: £30.00 book token for the be...

The Poetry Party invites you to be one of the first writers to take part in our latest Isle of Arran, Scotland workshop adventure on 28th June to 5th July 2008 only , £400 accommodation & expert poetry tutorship.
In the company of professional poets you will enjoy individual tutoring & group workshops run by published poets & experienced performance poets.
Up to now they will run like this:
* open-to-all workshops each morning 10-12ish
* private writing time in the afternoon
* op...

Embryo (Studio Salford) are currently booking acts for their next event on Feb 1st and are particularly looking for some spoken word/poetry acts to perform a 10 minute slot. So if you are interested email your details to embryostudio@yahoo.co.uk.
To find out more about Studio Salford and Embryo check out http://www.studiosalford.com/

Lancaster
University Department of Continuing Eduation offers a range of Creative
Writing courses for those interested in writing for pleasure or profit.
Courses run throughout the year with fees ranging from £44. Why not join us for our Creative
Writing Celebration Week (14 - 20 June 2008) which includes poetry
writing courses, workshops, readings and other attractions. Please
contact us on 01524 592623/4 for a brochure or visit www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/conted...

Develop your writing skills at a University of Manchester creative writing course open to the public. The course will be led by Creina Mansfield and will be held on 8 consecutive Wednesdays from 1:30 - 3:30 pm starting 23 January 2008 at a cost of £112.00. Venue for the course is the Ellen Wilkinson Building, Oxford Road (Close to the Contact Theatre) Manchester.Email cce.reception@manchester.ac.uk for more information, Call 0161 275 3275 to applyThe course aims to develop students' writing th...

Surreal Art, Magical Poetry At Tate Modern, London

Led by award-winning poet Pascale Petit

Mondays 11 February 2008 – 17 March 2008, 18.30–20.00

Starting in Poetry and Dream, then working in the Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia exhibition, this six-week course invites you to write magical poetry from surreal art. Creative writing exercises will be
offered to respond to these innovative artists and free the imagination. We will explore some of their techniques, such as...

Scribble creative writing magazine is open to poetry / story
submissions on the subject of NEW for its spring issue. Send your
work to Kim Haygarth at kim@cartwheelarts.org.uk by Friday 29th February and include your name and postal address. Submissions under 300 words are recommended.

Here are some more competitions:

ACADEMY OF CHILDREN’S WRITERS COMPETITION
We are currently promoting our Twenty Third Annual Write a Story for Children Competition that is open to all amateur writers over the age of 18. There are cash prizes of £2,000 for the best story submitted, £300 for second prize and £200 for the third placed story.
Independent judges, who will be looking for such qualities as originality, imagination and flair, will read the entries. Most impor...

Last month's poem of the month writer, Andy Hopkins, has chosen this month's poem.

Andy says,"I really like its form in the opening stanza - with the rushed downward movement. I also like the sheer absurdity of the concept that she brings to light - allowing the poetic moment (and the strangeness of human science and endeavour) to speak for itself."
Find out more about Cath and her work at http://www.writeoutloud.net/poets/cathnichols

Fear of Falling

A raw egg
was placed
gently
in...