An excellent article--thank you--and the prize giving was also excellent. My goodness, Clare, you put such a lot of time and effort into your role as judge as well as being a brilliant and generous presenter on the day. Hats off to you, a real role model.
Thanks for writing and sharing this Clare. It’s so kind of you to send feedback on your long-listed poems. If I was a poet that received feedback from you like that I’d feel like a winner. I didn’t enter this one because I was too busy and a wee bit disorganised. Love and hugs to you hero-poet ❤️🤗🤗
Oct 8·edited Oct 8Liked by Kim Moore and Clare Shaw
As usual you give honest and valuable advice. Most poets would love to understand why their work didn't make the shortlist. Looking forward to hearing your feedback at the end of this month.
Such a useful article Clare thank you, and having been at the awards (online) it’s great to get even more insight into your selection process. Your generosity as a poet that shares these thoughts and your experience is appreciated I’m sure by many aspiring poets. It’s also inspired me to kick my own bum and find the courage to submit.
It’s super helpful and also I feel very validated - I started entering competitions very early in my writing because I didn’t know any other way to receive feedback. Now I have found ways but always still seeking more. Workshops are the most wonderful, collaborative creative space.
It’s been brilliant reading your perspective as a judge.
I absolutely definitely could not thrive as a writer without feedback .... these days it's from a small group of trusted friends. But i often find workshops a very useful generative space where I can start new and unexpected poems ... x
Thanks for the comments Clare. I think we would all enjoy reading feedback from an experienced poet. I have definitely learnt more in workshops than researching alone.
I was over-awed by the quality of the shortlist. Without seeing the work, many of them seem to be narrative poems. Is this something that appeals to you? That type of poem takes some getting my head around.
Oooo, that's so interesting ... I've just looked through the anthology and you're right - around half of the longlisted poems are narrative poems! I genuinely hadn't noticed. And it's very interesting as that's not usually the type of poem I'm drawn to - and definitely not often the type of poem I write. I wonder if they work especially well as a competition poem ... or if they tend to be the poems we submit ... or if it's just a coincidence? I'll think on! x
Huge thanks for the time and effort you put into judging this competition, Clare. I'm so pleased that you commended 'Sister Bluebottle' (inspired by a prompt in Kim's recent late-night Writing Hour!) and it's an amazing feeling to see it in the anthology, alongside other brilliant poems. They are all very different but they all definitely needed to be written and leave the reader changed in some way. I am always grateful for feedback and I think it's wonderful that you took the time to give comments on your long-listed poems.
If there was a prize for poetry competition judges, you´d be a winner Clare - such a kind and considerate way to sort through so many poems and really give each your time. I love that you emailed people who got into the final 50, and that you offer such thoughtful advice for all of us who send off our precious poems to competitions. Thank you.
An excellent article--thank you--and the prize giving was also excellent. My goodness, Clare, you put such a lot of time and effort into your role as judge as well as being a brilliant and generous presenter on the day. Hats off to you, a real role model.
Thanks for writing and sharing this Clare. It’s so kind of you to send feedback on your long-listed poems. If I was a poet that received feedback from you like that I’d feel like a winner. I didn’t enter this one because I was too busy and a wee bit disorganised. Love and hugs to you hero-poet ❤️🤗🤗
As usual you give honest and valuable advice. Most poets would love to understand why their work didn't make the shortlist. Looking forward to hearing your feedback at the end of this month.
Such a useful article Clare thank you, and having been at the awards (online) it’s great to get even more insight into your selection process. Your generosity as a poet that shares these thoughts and your experience is appreciated I’m sure by many aspiring poets. It’s also inspired me to kick my own bum and find the courage to submit.
Thankyou for this post Clare,
It’s super helpful and also I feel very validated - I started entering competitions very early in my writing because I didn’t know any other way to receive feedback. Now I have found ways but always still seeking more. Workshops are the most wonderful, collaborative creative space.
It’s been brilliant reading your perspective as a judge.
I'm so glad it's helpful for you, Elizabeth!
I absolutely definitely could not thrive as a writer without feedback .... these days it's from a small group of trusted friends. But i often find workshops a very useful generative space where I can start new and unexpected poems ... x
Thanks for the comments Clare. I think we would all enjoy reading feedback from an experienced poet. I have definitely learnt more in workshops than researching alone.
I was over-awed by the quality of the shortlist. Without seeing the work, many of them seem to be narrative poems. Is this something that appeals to you? That type of poem takes some getting my head around.
Thsnks
Thanks
Judy
Oooo, that's so interesting ... I've just looked through the anthology and you're right - around half of the longlisted poems are narrative poems! I genuinely hadn't noticed. And it's very interesting as that's not usually the type of poem I'm drawn to - and definitely not often the type of poem I write. I wonder if they work especially well as a competition poem ... or if they tend to be the poems we submit ... or if it's just a coincidence? I'll think on! x
Huge thanks for the time and effort you put into judging this competition, Clare. I'm so pleased that you commended 'Sister Bluebottle' (inspired by a prompt in Kim's recent late-night Writing Hour!) and it's an amazing feeling to see it in the anthology, alongside other brilliant poems. They are all very different but they all definitely needed to be written and leave the reader changed in some way. I am always grateful for feedback and I think it's wonderful that you took the time to give comments on your long-listed poems.
ah, thanks Kelly! It’s a great poem - and I”m so glad you love the other poems too - what an incredible anthology!
I’d be very happy to have feedback. You did indeed whet my appetite and I have just ordered the anthology.
If there was a prize for poetry competition judges, you´d be a winner Clare - such a kind and considerate way to sort through so many poems and really give each your time. I love that you emailed people who got into the final 50, and that you offer such thoughtful advice for all of us who send off our precious poems to competitions. Thank you.