The Poet’s Compass – a conference for Scotland’s emerging poets
Saturday 29 June 2013, CCA, Glasgow
FULL PROGRAMME
9.30
Registration and refreshments
10.00 Welcome and introductions: Jennifer Williams, Scottish Poetry Library (chair)
10.05 Getting your poetry out there: Kona Macphee, Chris McCabe and Elspeth Murray
discuss what it means to be a poet today and make your writing public
As well as publishing three collections, Chris McCabe’s work has appeared in a wide range
of formats from a limited edition matchbox to broadsides and ezines. He has performed
across a range of spaces from a disused barge on the Thames to the inside of an art
installation at the Hayward Gallery. Chris discusses how poetry can be presented in various
contexts to reach different audiences.
Kona Macphee invites you to consider your own reasons for wanting to publish your poems.
She talks about what to expect from the process of being published, and offers advice on
how to remain a motivated, productive and creatively fulfilled poet.
Though publication-lite, Elspeth Murray’s path as a writer has been rewarding. She offers
insights and advice for getting your poetry out there in your own unique way.
11.00 Refreshments
11.30 Workshop Sessions (choose one)
1) Pamphlet poetry – Gerry Cambridge, Helena Nelson and Michael Pedersen
Drawing on his extensive experience of self-publishing his own work and helping other
writers to navigate the world of self-publishing, Gerry Cambridge looks at the pros and cons
of publishing your own pamphlet and the myriad forms it can take. At its most modest, it can
be within the reach of all.
Helena Nelson, editor of HappenStance Press, talks about how and why pamphlets have
been important in her life, both as poet and publisher, and offers some insider tips on getting
one accepted.
Having published two pamphlets (or chapbooks as he prefers to call them), Michael
Pedersen reflects on the process – when it’s time to ignite the submissions letter fuse, how
many poems must be bobbing in your harbour, finding your fit, and jumping off the pamphlet
platform to coin a collection.
2) Poetry online – Chris McCabe and Kona Macphee
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Chris McCabe expands upon the guide to publishing online that he wrote for Turning the
Next Page last year, discussing the advantages of online publishing and the pitfalls to be
avoided. He also offers some tips on the best ways to find ezines that match your style of
writing and submitting your work online.
Kona Macphee provides a poet's perspective on the benefits (and costs) of social media
and blogging, and considers how you can balance your online and offline writing lives.
3) Doing it for yourself – Harry Giles and Ali Maloney
Live events are amazing places to experience great writing and performance – and also an
increasingly significant way to get your work out there – but sometimes it can seem difficult
to break into ‘the scene’. Harry Giles, who co-ordinates the spoken word events series Inky
Fingers and co-directs the quarterly live art platform ANATOMY, looks at how to go about
getting booked as a writer and performer, the kind of events you should be looking for, and
the big problems you might encounter. He also discusses how you can make your own
events happen and be your own producer.
Co-founder of the netlabel Black Lantern Music, Ali Maloney explains why the myth of
‘making it’ is finally being put to rest and how the measures of success are back in the hands
of the individual writer/artist. File sharing, that scourge of the music industry, is the greatest
asset to the emerging artist and Ali demonstrates some of the ways it can be utilized to
generate fans and to establish a name.
4) Poetry residencies – Gerry Loose and Elspeth Murray
Drawing on his wide-ranging residency work, Gerry Loose looks at what we mean by a
‘poet in residence’, offering information and advice on how to get started and what to look for
in a host.
Having undertaken residencies in retail and policy settings, Elspeth Murray considers how
residencies allow poets to engage with communities in a fresh way and help communicate
their world. She offers tips and tools for working with strange tribes!
12.45 Lunch
1.30
2.30
(Keynote) Poetry publishing today – Neil Astley, editor of Bloodaxe Books, followed
by Q & A
Invaluable insights into the state of poetry publishing in Britain today – who’s publishing
what, who’s selling what and who’s reading what – from the editor of one of Britain’s leading
poetry publishers. As the number of new poets looking for a publisher continues to rise, Neil
Astley offers advice on what you can do to make editors sit up and want to publish you –
from developing your work and establishing a track record to approaching a publisher.
Crossing the Line – Gerry Loose, Ali Maloney and Michael Pedersen
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Gerry Loose reflects on how his work in poetry, gardens and other open spaces has
become increasingly hard to separate over the years, affording him opportunities to go
beyond the page and reach non-traditional poetry audiences. He encourages emerging
poets to follow their own passions too.
Ali Maloney considers what the stereotype image of the chain smoking beat poet tappin’ the
jazz vibes of the saxophone’s song means in the post-modern world? He discusses the role
of cross-platform and collaborative work in the poet’s toolbox, considering theatre, film,
music, sound and the graphic novel as keys to amplify the poet’s artistic message and
intent.
Michael Pedersen talks about co-founding Neu! Reekie!, one of Scotland’s best attended
mixed-arts nights, a medley of spoken word, film, animation, performance and music, which
is staged at Summerhall in Edinburgh and The Poetry Club in Glasgow. He also discusses
its pop record label and recently announced publishing arm.
3.30
Refreshments
4.00
Getting your poetry out there – Gerry Cambridge, editor of The Dark Horse magazine;
Jim Carruth, co-founder and current chair of St Mungo’s Mirrorball, Harry Giles, coordinator of Inky Fingers and co-director of ANATOMY, and Helena Nelson, editor of
HappenStance Press
Speaking both as a poet who submits to magazines and as a magazine editor, Gerry
Cambridge considers the ups and downs of magazine publication and offers advice on how
you can enjoy more of the ‘ups’, covering issues such as the hierarchy of magazines,
aesthetics, market research and quality, as well as the importance of seeing your work in
context and being interested in the wider poetry world.
Jim Carruth discusses how developing poets can make the most effective use of existing
informal and formal networking opportunities.
Spoken word and performance poetry events are thriving, with a strong community of
performers and organisers in Scotland. Harry Giles looks at the best ways of getting
involved, where to begin, what support you can look for, and how you can you find out more.
He also talks about how to get past your nerves and onto a stage!
Helena Nelson talks about the role that publishers like HappenStance, with open
submissions policies, play in helping emerging poets get into print. She will also discuss the
importance of developing a 'profile' before making a first approach, the ongoing publisherpoet relationship, and the vexed issue of self-promotion – the self-effacing poet faces up to
FaceBook.
5.00
Drinks
6.30
Ends
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The Poet’s Compass is presented by NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education) in
partnership with CCA, Glasgow Life, Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Poetry Library and St Mungo’s
Mirrorball, with investment from Creative Scotland. It is part of Turning Another Page, a professional
development programme for writers living and working in Scotland.
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