Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell

Only a few spaces left! Book now to avoid disappointment.

Scarthin Books welcomes Jo Bell for two poetry-writing workshops. Each session will last three hours and include tea or coffee. If you’ve read How to Be a Poet, her book with Jane Commane, you’ll have a flavour of Jo’s teaching style – entertaining, intensive and aimed at getting the best new poetry out of every participant. Jo is running two sessions for us: one for all comers, one for women only.

In this session open to men and women, we use the treasure trove of source material stacked all around us in the shelves of Scarthin Books. We’ll dive into books of technical or specialist language, steal other poets’ phrases and draw on the riches of historical and fictional text to refresh your own writing. Expect the unexpected – drawing on the arcane and absurd to generate new work. This session will include some forms like the golden shovel and the cento, and you should leave with four or five new drafts to work on.