Introducing...Poetry Pals

A place to read and write more poetry

Three years ago I set myself the challenge of writing 100 poems in a year.

I had done a poetry writing course and fallen (back) in love with poetry. I wanted to improve my poetry writing skills and it seemed like a good way to start. I wanted to write consistently and thought a goal would help. It felt wildly ambitious. I liked that.

That first year I wrote 120 poems. Around 110 more than the year before.

I wasn’t writing for publication. I didn’t plan to share them (although I did end up doing so as my confidence grew). It was a project that took me to places I never imagined. If you’re reading this then I know I don’t have to tell you about the magic of poetry (I’m a true believer!)

I was hooked.

I even got a head start on 2022.

So the year after I tried again. I wrote 91 poems. At first I was a bit frustrated not to have made the 100. I could have written down a few random verses to make up the deficit but that would defy the purpose. The number was just a guide, a gentle jab in the ribs when my, “too busy to write” narrative took over. So instead I celebrated like I’d won an award. Not an external award giving me candy floss-like validation. When you write poetry purely for the joy and catharsis of writing poetry, it turns out you can’t lose.

Since then I have ended up publishing a book of poetry, learning that I very much enjoy reading poetry out loud and had a handful of poems accepted into anthologies. Hurrah. Hurray. Exciting side-effects but not the actual point of this project. It just turns out that if you want to get better at writing poetry, writing a lot of poetry helps!

But there was something missing….

and that was a poetry community.

I hadn’t found my poetry pals. I felt like a poetry dabbler, a bit of an imposter (if you will). I’m someone who sees the strap-line, “poetry for people who don’t like poetry” and immediately wants to read on.

I don’t have an MA in creative writing (maybe one day!!!) I’ve got a degree in English Literature but, honestly, I hated poetry back then. We mostly studied poems written by dead white men, I was turned further away from poetry if anything.

I craved someone to send poetry to who would reply with, “OMFG this poem is EVERYTHING.” Or, “Have you ever read any of THIS person’s work?” I’m a giddy kipper when it comes to poetry and I was looking for some fellow, er, kippers (?)

I want to go to more spoken word events too but at 7pm at night I’m mainly found balanced on a 2cm strip of mattress reading kids stories. Which I am completely fine with. I am hugely privileged and this is where my life is at currently (I say fine, I’d take another centimetre of bed and a bit of duvet). But I would LOVE to hear and read and play with more poetry. And I started wondering if I was alone.

So, after talking about it for a few, erm, months years (it’s too niche, what would it look like, I don’t know enough about poetry etc. etc.) I decided to start by just asking the question:

Does anyone else want to read and write more poetry in 2024?

And the answer was yes!

It turns out there were other women out there standing by the door of the poetry party. Writing, trying to write, reading, wanting to read out loud (or try to), wanting to play with more poetry. Wanting to attend more poetry parties but in their jammies, in bed by 10pm. Wanting to learn with each other, from each other.

And so Poetry Pals was born.

Poetry Pals - a gathering of poems and women (those who identify as women or who are non-binary) who want to read and write more poems.

Want to experience more often the feeling of finding a way to write the unsayable. Want to use writing poetry for self-preservation, self-care, self-expression. Experience the electrifying nature of poetry when it is written, read and shared. With a feminist slant (of course).

For people who believe that everyone can write and read poetry. That poetry doesn’t have to involve really long words.

Hot Meals, Biology by Kate Baer, What Kind of Woman

How does it work?

• Each Sunday I send out a ‘pen pal letter’ - a sort of love letter to fellow poetry fans, which includes a poem (with some commentary) and a poetry writing prompt. Sometimes these are from me. Sometimes they are written by a guest poet. Read and discover new poets. Find inspiration to write more poetry.

• Each Friday there is a sharing post - a poetry round up. A chance to comment with a response to the prompt or indeed any poetry that you’ve written or discovered during the week. First drafts, rough scribbles, random ideas, ramblings about how the week went wrong and nothing got written - all of this is so very much welcome. You can dip in and out however and whenever you choose. This is pressure free and playful poetry writing.

• Throughout the year I’ll also share progress and encouragement to write along with the Year of 100 Poems. Plus some of my own poetry.

  All of this is currently free, though of course I’d be very grateful for anyone who wants to support the time they take to produce (they are pretty time intensive I’ll be honest). Plus there are some delicious extras…

For those who are IN in, you can become a paid subscriber which means you also get…

• A kick-ass, feminist poetry writing community. Our first live poetry reading event on Zoom was an absolute treat and there are more planned. More of the sort of spoken-word events where you finish up feeling like an absolute rock-star who can do ANYTHING. Without competition, without judgement, with only love and appreciation for poetry and for gathering.

• A poetry book club - bi-monthly with a members only commenting space.

• Additional posts and accountability for keeping the poetry flowing.

• Plus tons more ideas for future too. Live meet ups to discuss poetry. Some collective poetry writing is definitely on the cards. We are right at the beginning of something very special.

I used to just share my poems on Instagram but more and more I’ve been edging away from that platform. It’s just not feeding my soul. I will still no doubt share odd things over there but here I’ve found a quieter place and a community that is making my heart sing. A place where we can say, “do you feel this too?” and, “tell me about how we are different. And the same.”

I’ve found us a table at the back of the virtual coffee shop and grabbed us some chairs. Shall we sit around and drink coffee and read poetry to each other?

I hope so,

Nelly x

P.s If you already subscribe to my other Substack - Journaling Wild (thank youuuuu BTW) you will need to subscribe separately to this one. I didn’t transfer across any email lists or any of that malarkey.