Write Out Loud’s co-founder, Julian Jordon, has spelled out the principles of poetry performance, and the philosophy behind encouraging people to read out their work in public, in a wide-ranging interview with the creative writing website ABCtales. Julian - pictured at the Write Out Loud poetry jam at Marsden jazz festival last year - told interviewer Luke Neima: “Many a time Write Out Loud has been accused …  by people who feel that allowing anyone to turn up with anything, and not being judgmental about that, is somehow dumbing down poetry, because we’re not challenging them to be better … my background is in adult community education. And that’s informed the way we designed the website and the way we go about our events. If we run an open mic, I always say that if someone turns up and they might want to read, we make sure they get the opportunity. One of the regulars will stand down and let them read instead. There’s nothing worse than someone turning up, wanting to read, and going home not having done so.”

He listed a number of tips for better performance poetry: editing, “so crucial”;’ get feedback “before you stand up there in front of people; rehearse, “record yourself and be your critic”; play with ideas, “try something different”; when you get to the mic, “learn not to worry” about nerves; and make yourself heard, “you have to project”.  

Advice to poets with ambitions? “I and many others believe reading at open mic nights is as legitimate as publication … it’s a difficult thing to do. It takes a lot of courage. For the poet just starting out – apart from the fact that you need to edit, edit, edit - you should go along to a friendly open mic night and talk to people. Read lots of poems, listen to lots of performances – and learn from them. “

You can read the full interview here