Write Out Loud’s annual open mic poetry jam takes place on Sunday October 8, from 11am to 1.30pm, at The Railway inn, Marsden.  It’s compered, as ever, by Write Out Loud’s co-founder Julian Jordon, entry is free, and it’s a Marsden the Poetry Village event and part of the Marsden jazz festival.

Last year’s feedback included “great atmosphere … fantastic variety of different poems/poets … …to make us laugh, cry and join in too … gets better each year … brilliant experience and feel inspired to write a poem".

Better? Your continued enthusiastic support has seduced us into creating Marsden the Poetry Village, where you’ll find shelves of poetry books for you to read in pubs and cafés, and music-themed poems in shop windows (from 28 September for two weeks) to add to the already fabulous atmosphere at this annual jazz festival in the verdant Pennines.

Though some said last year was the best yet, there were complaints: no seats, standing room only. So get there early! Especially if you’d like to read (all welcome, beginners to Nobel laureates); or just listen and enjoy.

We’re hoping that copies of Write Out Loud’s Milestones poetry competition anthologies will be on sale, too.