October 2020
It must be competition season as there are several exciting opportunities this month.
The Alchemy Spoon is a new poetry magazine that promotes poetry without prejudice, especially of race, gender or age. Their competition this month is on the theme of metal, and is aimed at people who have come to poetry later in life.
Closing date is 31st October 2020.
Click for more information.
The Wenlock Olympian Society is inviting entries to a Fast Fiction competition on the themes of: 'five rings', 'winning' and 'gold is only a colour'.
Closing date is 31st October 2020.
Click for more information.
As well as Bridgnorth Writers News page, it's well worth keeping an eye on the Creative Writing Ink website where you'll find details of many competitions for poetry and prose.
October 2020
The Gallery of Discovery exhibition at Weston Park, where Sharon Ashton's poem Peopled is featured, was so well attended in September that it has been extended through October.
Click for more information about The Gallery of Discovery.
October 2020
You’ll probably know about – and have maybe attended or performed at – Simon Fletcher’s excellent City Voices events where he promotes local poets, including those that are published by Offa’s Press.
As it looks like it will be a while until we get back to live events, Simon has started doing Zoom shows called Virtual Voices.
Well worth attending, especially as the first one includes Nick Pearson, who will be reading from his new book, Barista.
Click for more details of this free event on Tuesday 13th October, 19:30-21:00.
Barista and Nick's previous book, Made in Captivity, are available now from Offa's Press.
September 2020
Nick Pearson's new book, Barista has just been launched.
We've heard extracts at recent Bridgnorth Writers meetings, and it's highly recommended.
Barista and Nick's previous book, Made in Captivity, are available now from Offa's Press.
September 2020
It was a close, competitive night at The Ironbridge Poetry Slam, which was held remotely by Zoom.
Colin Wells reached the final and finished in third place.
September 2020
We've spotted a couple of prestigious competitions to enter this month that look ideal for Bridgnorth Writers.
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First The Cannon Poets Sonnet or Not competition with excellent prizes. The closing date is 31st October 2020 and the competition will be judged by Roy McFarlane.
Also The Telegraph Magazine Short Story Competition 2020 for previously unpublished stories under 1,000 words. The prize for the first three will be publication in The Telegraph magazine. Closing date is 30th October 2020.
September 2020
Great to hear that Liz Kershaw is on the long-list for
The Historical Writers Association short story award with
The Drover. Well done Liz, and thanks to Barbara for help with proof-reading.
September 2020
We've been in touch with Marie and her team at The Shakespeare. We're all looking forward to returning as soon as possible, but the next Bridgnorth Writers meeting on Tuesday 20th October @ 19:30 will have to be by Zoom. We'll open the session just after 19:00 so we can have a chat before we start the meeting.
Sarah will be Chair and the theme is: 'square.'
September 2020
Sharon Ashton's poem Peopled is featured in the Gallery of Discovery exhibition at Weston Park during September when artists and writers will be sharing their lockdown creativity.
Click for more information about The Gallery of Discovery.
September 2020
We're looking forward to The Ironbridge Festival, 12th to 27th September when Bridgnorth Writers and friends take part in several interesting events:
David Bingham will be performing in an hour of Japanese poetry at 15:00 on Sunday 13th September.
Jeff Phelps is leading on a poetry workshop on the theme of 'work' 14:00-17:00 on Saturday 19th September.
As well as working with Dave and Jeff, Simon Fletcher of
Offa's Press will be leading a poetry walk, including reading topical and/or well known poems about the Madeley/Ironbridge area.
Nick Pearson is appearing with Jane Seabourne and Marion Cockin at Afternoon Poetry on Saturday 26th September at 15:00. That's at the Anstice Building and is a free event.
Click for more details of these and other events at
The Festival includes an online poetry slam organised by Emma Purshouse (Wolverhampton Poet Laureate) from Poets, Prattlers and Pandemomialists. At least two Bridgnorth Writers have entered, but these events are very popular and often over-subscribed, so they're hoping be drawn out of the hat to compete.
Click for more details of The Ironbridge Poetry Slam.
You can hear Emma Purshouse on Radio 4 as part of the Tongue and Talk series that celebrates dialect poetry. Emma's show is on Sunday 6th September at 16:30 and, as you've probably guessed, is all about Black Country Poetry. If you miss it then, it will be available at BBC Sounds.
Click for more details of Tongue and Talk: The Dialect Poets.
August 2020
And another prize-winning poem from Paul Francis: third place in The Waltraud Field Poetry competition organised by Crewe and District Writers Circle.
We've just heard that Paul Francis has won 2nd place out of 2,300 entries in the Beyond the Storm poetry competition by Write Out Loud in support of the NHS, judged by Andrew McMillan.
