Poetry Resources


Poets | Societies | Information | Venues | Literary Prizes | Publishers


Poets

Shane Martin – Website of Irish poet, Shane Martin. Includes information about the poet and his poems. Also contains selection of downloadable audio versions of poems. Subscribe to newsletter.

Silver Ladder Studios – Poetry Collection – The original poetry of S.H. Watson.

Societies The Poetry Society
The society offers free advice and information to members and non-members on writing poetry and getting published.
Email: info@poetrysociety.org.uk
Website: www.poetrysociety.org.uk

Poetry Ireland
The national poetry organisation for Ireland. Publishes the quarterly magazine, ‘Poetry Ireland Review’ and the bi-monthly newsletter, ‘Poetry Ireland News. Runs a Writers-in-Schools Scheme.
Email: poetry@iol.ie
Website: www.poetryireland.ie

The Poetry Book Society
Book club for readers of poetry. Also administers the T.S. Eliot prize and produces the quarterly membership magazine, the ‘Bulletin’.
Email: info@poetrybooks.co.uk
Website: www.poetrybooks.co.uk

The British Haiku Society
Runs ‘The Hackett’ annual Haiku competition, organises tutorials and workshops. Publishes the journal, ‘Blithe Spirit’ and a newsletter, ‘Brief’.
Email: asummers@dircon.co.uk

The Poetry Society of America
Website: www.poetrysociety.org

Where to get information:

Regional Arts Boards – see links.

Local Libraries

Websites:

poettext.com – a major new portal for poetry readers and writers.
Writer’s Resource Center – many good poetry links and advice for writers.
www.poetrykit.org – (This includes a listing of magazines in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, USA and ezines.)
The British Council www.britishcouncil.org/arts/literature
Visit the website for a list of forthcoming festivals.

Venues

Big Word
2 Essex Road
London
Tel: 020 7354 2016

Express Excess
2 Haverstock Hill
London
Tel: 020 7485 2659

Vice Verso
68 Clapham Manor Street
London
Tel: 020 8341

Terrible Beauty
265 Old Brompton Road
London
Tel: 020 7370 1434

Voice Box
Level 5, Royal Festival Hall
Lodnon
Tel: 020 7960 4242

Apples and Snakes Performance Poetry
Battersea Arts Centre
London
Tel: 020 7223 2223

Literary Prizes

 

Arvon Foundation International Poetry Competition
A biennial competition for unpublished poems. First prize £5,000.
Email: longon@arvonfoundation.org

The Bridport Prize
Annual prizes are awarded for poetry and short stories. Closing date: 30th June each year. Send sae for entry form.
Email: arts@bridport.co.uk

The T.S. Eliot Prize
An annual prize of £5000 is awarded to the best collection of new poetry published in the UK or Ireland during the year.
Email: info@poetrybooks.co.uk
Website: www.poetrybooks.co.uk

Forward Poetry Prizes
Three prizes are awarded annually: The Forward Prize for the best collection of poetry, The Waterstones Prize for best first collection of poetry published, and The Tolman Cunard Prize for best individual poem.
Tel: 020 7439 1783

E.C. Gregory Trust Fund
A number of substantial awards are made annually for the encouragement of young poets.
Details from: Awards Secretary
Society of Authors
84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB

 

The Petra Kenney Poetry Competition
Annual competition for unpublished poetry on any theme and in any style.
Details from: The Secretary, Petra Kenney Poetry Competition, PO Box 32, Filey YO14 9YG UK
Email: www.morgan@petrapoetrycompetition.co.uk

Averages more than a thousand entries from all parts of the world. Presentation of the awards is held in May at Canada House in London where celebrated poets socialise and meet publishers.

Entries no more than 80 lines, original and unpublished. Fee UKP3 per poem. Closing date December 1st each year.

Prizes UKP 1,000; 500; 250 and three at 125. Also an inscribed Royal Brierley crystal vase to each winner and publication in British magazine Writers’ Forum.

Honorary patrons: Sir Alan and Lady Ayckbourn, Prunella Scales, Janet Suzman and Alan Brownjohn. Judges for 2001: U.A Fanthorpe, Anthony Thwaite and Morgan Kenney.

Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition
Open to all unpublished poems, no longer than 40 lines in length.
Submissions: The Organiser, 13 Ruscombe Close, Southborough
Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 0SG.

The New Writer Poetry Prizes
Poets may submit either one or a collection of 6-10 previously unpublished poems.
Email: thenewwriter@hotmail.com

Peterloo Poets Open Poetry Competition
Annual competition offering first prize of £3000. Closing date: 2nd March.
Details: Peterloo Poets, 2 Kelly Gardens, Calstock
Cornwall, PL18 9SA.

Poetry Life Open Poetry Competition>
Competitions held 3 times a year. First prize £50.00. Any style. Unpublished.
Email: adrian.abishop@virgin.net

The Signal Poetry for Children Award
A prize of £100 given annually for an outstanding book of poetry published for children during the previous year. No unpublished work.
Details: The Thimble Press
Lockwood, Station Road, Woodchester,
Stroud, Glos, GL5 5EQ.

Tabla Poetry Competition
An annual competition for poems of any length and subject.
Email: stephen.james@bris.ac.uk

Find a complete listing in the ‘Guide to Literary Prizes’ Published by Book Trust, 2000, for £6.99.

Publishers

JRussell Productions, Inc., Geneva, NY, USA, operates a children’s site, that publishes children’s stories that have an animal theme, pet or wild. They are also actively looking for writers and illustrators interested in publishing with them.

JRussell Productions is not a vanity or subsidy press; they pay 50 percent royalties on the ebooks they sell. They have a unique read-before-you-buy policy that they are currently testing. They call it “shared publishing” because it operates in a manner similar to “shareware” software publishing. In the future they plan to implement payment online through PayPal.

Arc Publications
Specialises in the publication of contemporary poetry from new and established writers both in the UK and abroad. Runs the annual Arc Short Story Competition and publishes an anthology of winning entries. Authors submitting material should ensure that it is compatible with the current list and should enclose s.a.e. if they wish mss to be returned.
Editor: Tony Ward, Nanholme Mill,
Shaw Wood Road, Todmorden,
Lancashire OL14 6DA.
Tel: 01706 812338.
Fax: 01706 818948

Beyond the Cloister Publications
(Individual poets, theme titles and anthologies)
Hugh Hellicar, Flat 1,
14 Lewes Crescent, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1FH.
Tel: 01273 676019

Zum Zum Books
(Wild, brilliant, deep, sensuous, philosophical poetry) Neil Oram, Goshem, Bunlight,
Drumnadrochit, Inverness-shire IV3 6AH.
Tel: 01456 450402

Blackwater Press
PO Box 5115,
Leicester LE2 8ZD.
Tel: 0116 2238703

Bloodaxe Books Ltd
Unsolicited poetry mss welcome; send a sample of no more than 10 poems, ‘but it you don’t read contemporary poetry, don’t bother’. Authors of other material should write in the first instance.
Editorial Director Neil Astley, PO Box 1SN,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1SN.
Tel: 01434 240500.
Fax: 01434 240505.
Email: editor@bloodaxebooks.demon.co.uk
Website: bloodaxebooks.com.

Bogle-L’Ouverture Press Ltd
(Promoting an independent voice of the experiences of black people)
Jessica Huntley, 141 Coldershaw Road,
Ealing, London W13.
Tel: 020 8579 4920.
Fax: 020 8579 4920

Cherrybite Publications
(Poetry)
45 Burton Road, Little Neston,
South Wirral L644AE

Aural Images
(Poetry, philosophy)
Alan White, 5 Hamilton Street,
Astley Bridge, Bolton,
Lancs BL1 6RT

Anvil Press Poetry Ltd
Unsolicited book-length collections of poems are welcome from writers whose work has appeared in poetry magazines. Anvil has had great success in building the reputation of younger poets.
Editorial Director: Peter Jay, Neptune House,
70 Royal Hill. London SE10 8RT.
Tel: 0208 469 3033.
Fax: 0208 469 3363

Flarestack Publishing
(Considers first collections for A5 stapled pamphlet publication)
Charles Johnson, Redditch Library,
15 Market Place,
Redditch B98 8AE.
Tel: 01527 63291.
Fax: 01527 68571.
Email: flare.stack@virgin.net.

Forward Press
(General poetry and short fiction anthologies)
Ian Walton, Remus House,
Coltsfoot Drive, Woodston,
Peterborough PE2 9JX.
Tel: 01733 890099.
Fax: 01733 313524

The Frogmore Press
(Poetry by new/established writers)
Jeremy Page, 18 Nevill Road,
Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1PF.

Greylag Press
7 Moreton Way, Kingsthorpe,
Northampton NN2 8PD

Hard Pressed Poetry
(Post-modernist poetry and prose)
Billy Mills, 37 Grosvenor Court,
Templeville Road, Templeogue,
Dublin 6 W, Eire

Hilton House (Publishers)
Michael K. Moore, Hilton House,
39 Long John Hill, Norwich NR1 2JP.
Tel/Fax 01603 449845

Hippopotamus Press
(First collections of verse from those with a track record in the magazine)
Roland John, 22 Whitewell Road, Frome,
Somerset BA11 4EL.
Tel: 01373 466653.
Fax: 01373 466653

Ihsan Communication
(Poetry, short stories, social commentaries with emphasis on race, culture & youth)
PO Box 550, Bradford, W. Yorks
BD10 OYF

K. T. Publications
(Kite Books)
(Poetry)
Kevin Troop, 16 Fane Close, Stamford,
Lincolnshire PE9 1HG.
Tel: 01780 754193

Katabasis
Down-to-earth and utopian poetry and prose from home and abroad – English and Latin American.
Dinah Livingstone, 10 St Martin’s Close,
London NW1 OHR.
Tel:020 7485 3830.
Fax: 020 7485 3830.
Website: www.katabasis.co.uk.

Kernow Press
(Limited small collections from poets)
Bill Headon, Bude Haven, 18 Frankfield Rise,
Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5LF Lapwing Publications
(Small first collections in pamphlet form)
Dennis & Rene Creig, 1 Ballysillan Drive,
Belfast BT14 8HQ.
Tel: 01232 391240.
Fax: 01232 391240

Lateral Moves Press (Poetry)
Ann White, 5 Hamilton Street,
Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancs BL1 6RJ.
Tel: 01204 596369

Odyssey Poets
(Poetry/prose; first collections; interim booklets; full collections)
Derrick Woolf, Coleridge Cottage,
Nether Stowey, Somerset TA5 1NQ.
Tel: 01278 732662

Carcanet Press Ltd
Conavon Court, 12-16 Blackfriars Street,
Manchester M3 5BQ
Tel: 0161 834 8730.
Fax: 0161 832 0084.
Email: pnr@carcanet.u-net.com
Website: www.carcanet.co.uk.
Editorial Director Michael Schmidt

The Celtic Cross Press
(Private press, publishing signed and numbered limited editions)
Rosemary & Nigel Roberts,
Ovins Well House, Low Street,
Lastingham, York Y06 6TJ.
Tel: 01751 417298.
Fax: 01751 417739.
Email: books@ccpress.ndirect.co.uk.

The Other Press
(Experimental poetry by women)
Frances Presley 19 Marriott Road,
London N4 3QN.
Tel: 020 7272 9023.
Email: fpresley@compuserve.com.

Mudfog Press
(The best new writers from Teesside)
Andy Croft, 11 Limes Road, Linthorpe,
Middlesbrough TS5 7QR.
Tel: 012642 864428.
Fax: 012642 262429
Email: cleveland.arts@onyxnet.co.uk.

Oasis Books
(Pamphlets and books of poetry and prose)
See also Oasis magazine
Ian Robinson, 12 Stevenage Road,
London SW6 6ES.
Tel: 020 7736 5059

The Poetry Business
Peter Sansom, 51 Byram Arcade,
Westgate, Huddersfield, W. Yorks HD1 1ND

Poetry Monthly Press
Martin Holroyd, 39 Cavendish Road, Long Eaton,
Nottingham NG10 4HY.
Tel: 0115 9461267.
Email: martinholroyd@compuserve.com.

Poetry Now
(Includes Poetry Now Young Writers)
Andrew Head, Remus House, Coltsfoot Drive,
Woodston, Peterborough PE2 9JX.
Tel: 01733 890099.
Fax: 01733 313524.
Email: forward_press@compuserve.com.

Psychopoetica Publications
(Psychologically-based poetry)
GeoffLowe, Dept of Psychology,
University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX.
Fax: 01482 465599

Reality Street Editions
(New poetry from Britain and Europe)
Ken Edwards, 4 Howard Court,
Peckham Rye, London SE15 3PH Red Candle Press
(‘Traditionalist poetry is our great interest.’)
Michael Leonard McCarthy, 9 Milner Road,
Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 2LR.
Tel: 01945 581067

Dagger Press
(32-page pamphlets)
Brian Morse,
70 Dagger Lane, West Bromwich,
West Midlands B71 4BS. Tel: 0121 553 2029

Day Dream Press
Kevin Bailey,
39 Exmouth Street, Swindon, Wilts SN1 3PU.
Tel: 01793 523927

Dionysia Press Ltd
Denise Smith, 20a Montgomery Street,
Edinburgh EH7 5JS.
Tel: 0131 478 0927
Fax: 0131 478 2572

Flambard Press
(Concentrates on poetry but also publishes fiction, especially crime and mystery)
Peter Elfed Lewis, Stable Cottage, East Fourstones, Hexham,
Northumberland NE47 5DY.
Tel: 01434 674360.
Fax: 01434 674178
Email: signatur@dircon.co.uk.

Anchor Books
(Poetry – an imprint of the Forward Press Group)
Heather Killingray, 1-2 Wainman Road,
Woodston, Peterborough PE2 7BU.
Tel: 01733 230746.
Fax: 01733 230751
Email: pete@forwardpress.co.uk.

Smith/Doorstop Books
(Contemporary poetry books, pamphlets and cassettes)
Peter Sansom, The Studio, Byram Arcade,
Westgate, Huddersfield, W. Yorks HD1 1ND.
Tel: 01484 434840.
Fax: 01484 426566
Email: poetbus@pop3.potel.org.uk.

Tarantula Publications
(Collections of poetry)
Sean Body, 14 Vine Street, Salford,
Manchester M7 3PG.
Tel: 0161 792 4593.
Fax: 0161 792 4593

Partners in Poetry
Ian Deal, 289 Elmwood Avenue, Feltham,
Middlesex TW13 7QB.
Tel: 020 8751 8652

Peterloo Poets
Harry Chambers, The Old Chapel,
Sand Lane, Calstock,
Cornwall PL18 9QU.
Tel: 01822 833473.

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