Blog
6 Cute Poetic Strategies You Should Try
How can we utilise the ‘cute’ in our writing? Ellora Sutton is teaching her Online course Gutsy Cute Studio this November gives us some of her top strategies 1. Whimsy Think fairytales. Think gems and talking woodland critters. Nothing can go wrong here (so it’s all the more crushing when it does). When is a…
Ellora
5 Facts You Might Not Know About Robert Frost
Robert Frost is arguably one of the most famous poets of all time, but how much do you really know about him? Jodie Hollander who is running ‘The Road Not Taken’: Reading & Writing Robert Frost with us this Autumn gives us some interesting facts about the American poet. Image credit: Public Domain 1. He…
Jodie Hollander
5 Scary Poetry Books You Should Read
Looking for some scary poetry this spooky season? Lewis Buxton, who is teaching his course The Talking Death on Saturday 31 October, talks us through his favourite scary poetry reads that are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine! Obviously, poetry books aren’t full of jump scares and decapitations, but they can leave us with…
Lewis Buxton
4 Poets Who Innovated Typographical Poetry
Interested in the poetry of typographical innovation? Lydia Kennaway, who is teaching her London course Fontasia: Poetry & Rebellious Typography this October tells us about four poets who innovated the appearance of poetic text. George Herbert Herbert is often presented as a forerunner of Concrete or Visual Poetry, with ‘Easter Wings’ his most well-known example,…
Lydia Kennaway
Kate Simpson on her Site-Specific Nature Poem
In this blog Kate Simpson reflects on the process behind her Site-Specific Nature Poem. The poem is part of Blue Space a Poetry School commissioned project taking place in Leeds in Autumn 2026 in partnership with Yorkshire Design Group and Canal & River Trust. You can read the poem here. I’ve lived near rivers for most of my…
Kate Simpson
Laurel Prize Winner 2026: ‘Midden Witch’ by Fiona Benson
The Poetry School and UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage are delighted to announce the winner of The Laurel Prize 2026 is Fiona Benson for her collection Midden Witch (Jonathan Cape). Fiona has been awarded £5,000 and a four-night writing retreat in mid-Wales courtesy of 2026 prize partners Write Within. WHAT THE JUDGES SAY “Fiona Benson’s…
Poetry School
5 Tips for Writing About Death in Poetry
Writing about death in poetry can be extremely challenging, so Sascha Akhtar, who is teaching her course Somebody’s Walking Over My Grave this October, has put together some tips for finding the right words to use in your writing. 1. Feel Emotion is frowned upon in Western culture, both in our workspaces, often within family…
Sascha Akhtar
5 Essential Systems for Working Writers
We can’t all be dreamy and disorganised writers – some of us have to know how to send an invoice. Christy Ku, who is running her course The Business of Poetry this Autumn, is here to provide practical knowledge to support your creative self as a working writer. 1. Create a payments tracker When you…
Christy Ku
5 Ways to Experiment with Composition in Poetry
Want to play around with fragmentation and erasure in your writing? Melanie Hyo-In Han who is teaching her Online course Broken Open: Experimenting with Erasure, Fragmentation, Visual, & Translingual Poetry with us this Autumn, talks us through her top 5 ways writers can experiment with composition in poetry. 1. Erase Take an existing text (a…
Melanie Hyo-In Han
4 Poets Who Shaped Confessional Poetry
Confessional poetry was a significant development in twentieth-century American writing, characterised by poets who explored deeply personal experiences, emotions, and struggles in their work. Poet and Poetry School tutor Nisha Bhakoo who will be teaching her Online course, The Confessional Studio, with us this Autumn, discusses the writers at the forefront of this literary wave….
Nisha Bhakoo
5 Approaches to Writing with the More-than-Human
What happens when we combine human language with fungal, plant, insect, bird, and animal methods of communication? Camilla Nelson who will be teaching her Online course, BECOMING: Transreading Interspecies Empathy & Innovative Poetics, with us this Autumn, gives us some approaches for writing poetry from a non-human perspective. FUNGUS Read letters as spores. Choose a poem…
Camilla Nelson
6 Ways Poetry Meets Science
How are poetry and science connected, and what can they learn from one another? Zakia Carpenter-Hall, who will be teaching her Online Masterclass, Into Greater Fields of Possibility, with us this Autumn, explores the fascinating intersection where poetry meets science. 1. Exploration Poets and scientists alike often observe the physical world, life within it, human…
Zakia Carpenter-Hall
Free Poetry Mentoring Opportunity: TLC Free Reads Scheme 2027
Looking to develop your writing under the guidance of a published poet? Poetry School is delighted to be partnering with The Literary Consultancy, offering one poet a free poetry mentoring opportunity from February 2027. Find out how to apply below! APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED This year, we’re excited to once again participate in the TLC…
Chloe Elliott (Poetry School)
5 Things to Consider as a Poetry Beginner
Thinking about starting to write poetry, but not sure where to begin? Isabelle Baafi, who is leading our First Steps programme, shares the important things to consider as a poetry beginner. 1. Be open to receive The most engaging art responds to the world around us and finds life, beauty and wisdom in the most…
Isabelle Baafi
FAQs for Autumn Term 2026
Our Autumn Courses have now launched! We’ve put together a list of FAQs you may find useful – so whether you are a new or returning student, make sure to give them a read before you book… Autumn Term: Your Questions Answered Where can I find the Autumn Courses? We have put together an Autumn…
Poetry School
Emerging Voices: Online Showcase Reading
Poetry School’s talented MA Foundation Seminar students will be giving a special poetry reading on Thursday 23 July, sharing new work developed during the course. This intimate event, hosted by tutor Meryl Pugh, offers a chance to hear fresh voices and celebrate emerging talent in a supportive setting. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone considering…
Poetry School
Creative Voice and Receiving Critiques in Poetry Workshops
In this series, we interview our tutors about poetry and its place in their world. These interviews will cover creative writing tips, excelling in a poetry workshop, building a literary career, and finding your poetic voice. Here’s Natasha Hakimi Zapata on Creative Voice and Receiving Critiques. Can you discuss the emotional aspect of receiving feedback…
Natasha Hakimi Zapata
4 Poems for Times of Crisis
Shazea Quraishi, who teaches her popular course Lighting the World: Writing in Times of Crisis, recommends her top 4 poems that demonstrate writing in response to times of crisis. Image credit: @usgs Crisis comes from the Greek ‘krisis’, meaning decision. In English it was first used in a medical context to refer to the decisive, turning…
Shazea Quraishi
Poetry School MA in Writing Poetry Scholarship 2026
**** APPLICATIONS CLOSED **** We’re delighted to announce that applications are open for the Poetry School MA in Writing Poetry Scholarship 2026. This is a full fee scholarship award to the Poetry School / Newcastle University MA in Writing Poetry for an outstanding UK-based applicant who is currently underrepresented in the poetry world. By underrepresented poets, we mean…
Poetry School
Writing with a 9-5: Flexible Online Courses
Finding it hard to make the time to write with a busy schedule? Discover our flexible online courses that fit around your 9–5. Balancing writing with a busy schedule, alongside feedback from tutors and a writing community, is often what helps poems reach their final form. Learn on your time with these asynchronous courses which…
Poetry School
6 tips to Improve your Writing
Wondering where to start with refining your writing practise? Leah Umansky shares her top tips which will help you improve your poetry. 1. Read (and Take Note!) Keep some kind of journal, whether it be one for the morning, when you wake up, or one for evening, before bed. I also have a small journal…
Leah Umansky
5 Ways to Use Sound in Poetry
Curious about the sonic possibilities of poetry and the poetic possibilities of sound? Iris Colomb, who is teaching her Online course Sonic Language / Poetic Noise Masterclass with us this Summer, talks us through her top 5 ways writers can use sound in their poetry. 1. Listen Listen to strangers. Listen to yourself. Notice the…
Iris Colomb
Avoiding Poetic Clichés
Worried about poetic clichés in your writing? If your poems are feeling a little too familiar, these courses might help you shift gear. Sometimes a small shift is all it takes to approach a poem and get things moving again. Check out our selection of courses designed to help you see your work differently. Determination…
Poetry School
Finding Your Poetic Inspiration
Are you stuck in a writers’ block, or struggling to find that spark of inspiration for writing new poetry? Finding inspiration for your poetry can be tricky at times, so we’ve put together a list of our courses which include a variety of themes guaranteed to unlock new ideas and get those creative juices flowing! Poems…
Poetry School
Feedback, Originality, & Ownership in Poetry Workshops with Matthew Caley (part 3)
In this series, we interview our tutors about poetry and its place in their world. These interviews will cover creative writing tips, excelling in a poetry workshop, building a literary career, and finding your poetic voice. Here’s the third and final part of Matthew Caley discussing feedback, originality & ownership in workshops. You can read…
Matthew Caley