Sarah Hobbs's Blog

I have been thinking quite a lot lately about my writing and my motivations behind it.

Legacy

People quite rightly describe having children as their legacy, and in a way that's how I feel about my writing.

I don’t have any children. For me my writing is my legacy - it’s what I leave behind when I’m no longer here. Parents tell their children stories and mold them in their image and that’s what I do with my poetry.

I don’t have any children. For me my writing is my legacy - it’s what I leave behi...

If you're thinking of taking the plunge and self-publishing your work - there is no better time. Self-publishing is becoming the most common way for writers to get there work out to a main-stream audience. Make sure you read the first part of this blog post >> 5. Format from the beginning... Please, please, please do not leave formatting your work to the last minute. I know it may seem laboriously lame, but actually it will make your life so much easier in the end. 

Key things...

One of the key ways to get your work out to the masses today is to self publish, but what is self-publishing? What does it entail? How involved is it?

Before you do anything further - STOP! Grab a cuppa and think. Is self-publishing the right way to go for you? And do you have the capacity to take on publishing your own work?

If the answers to these are - yes, then great - read on. Hopefully this article will be of some help to you.

Below are four of my eight key points to help guide you and mak...

Is performance poetry key to the success of the continuation of this beloved art-form? I explore this further...

This is an interesting conundrum - and to answer it, we must first look back at poetry as an art-form and it's early days.

Poetry throughout the medieval period was written, but mostly it was spoken as a form of 'entertainment', then with the introduction and with the industrial revolution and the ease of accessibility to books within the late 19th and early 20th centuries poetry transf...

Is performance poetry key to the success of the continuation of this beloved art-form? I explore this further...

This is an interesting conundrum - and to answer it, we must first look back at poetry as an art-form and it's early days.

Poetry throughout the medieval period was written, but mostly it was spoken as a form of 'entertainment', then with the introduction and with the industrial revolution and the ease of accessibility to books within the late 19th and early 20th centuries poetry tra...

On Thursday the 15th of June 2017 three of the biggest names within the female spoken word poetry scene serenaded the crowd at Union Chapel in Islington.

Both Salena Godden and Vanessa Kisuule took to the stage to support Ted Hughes award winner, Hollie McNish during her book launch for her new book called Plum.

It was a fantastic evening with the whole of the chapel filled to the brim with scintillating and hilariously funny poetry for all three amazing performers and icons within the women's poetry scene.

In attendance were poetry and spoken word lovers, mums with babes held to their chests and even a few people knitting. It certainly had everything.

.@holliepoetry performing her poem #LittleThings from her new book #plum at @UnionChapelUK last night!! Such a great night...@picadorbooks pic.twitter.com/VHxHSqqMlH

— Sarah Hobbs Poetry (@HobbsPoetry) June 16, 2017

Above (Right): Video Hollie performs her poem 'Little Things'.
Above (Left): Hollie performs one of her poems.
Left: 'Plum' Hollies new book released by Picador.

The very #funny, #witty and #lyricallyengaging @salenagodden performing at @UnionChapelUK for @holliepoetry's #booklaunch for her book #plum pic.twitter.com/iCP6dDfgJ2

— Sarah Hobbs Poetry (@HobbsPoetry) June 15, 2017

The #passionate & #exuberant @Vanessa_Kisuule performing her poem #Jjajja @UnionChapelUK as part of @holliepoetry's #plum #booklaunch pic.twitter.com/g5VolFbK6U

— Sarah Hobbs Poetry (@HobbsPoetry) June 15, 2017

As you can see from the video's above the night was energy filled with verse and laughter that rang high to the roof-tops: the acoustics were phenomenal.

Also, the juxtaposition of the venue and the words being spoken within it also added an element of intrigue to the night. Especially with a full house within a crowded chapel in the height of London playing host to some of the UK's best poetical talent was incredible.

What was evident from this event is that female spoken word performance poetry is at it's peak and stronger than it has ever been. With the continued success of the artists involved and other key poetical figures it's certainly paving the way for future female poets to make their way to these amazing heights.

Check out further dates on Hollies 'Plum' tour - definitely one not to be missed, you'll have a blast!

Book review of 'Plum' to follow soon folks...

Is the pen transferable to the mic? This is the modern day 'publishing' conundrum.

Personally, I think it is. There is room for incorporating both into the poetical sphere.

In today's world poets write to perform, but can these poems transfer themselves onto the page? Yes.

​Poetry started out spoken - performed on the streets, in theatres and to anyone that would listen. The likes of Chaucer and his 'Canterbury Tales' or the many plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare, were first told - spoken in amphitheatres and whispered among friends.

We have become disillusioned, only concerned with how others will criticise our work and therefore pass judgement on us that we have forgotten that actually it's quite natural to speak our thoughts.

Within our laws today we are lucky enough to have 'freedom of speech', meaning we can say what we want without fear of prosecution. We are lucky.

Gabriella DePinho explores this notion very accurately in her poem 'do not silence the written word' shown below:Today, the 'spoken word' has had a resurgence. Young people performing their words to anyone that will listen and expressing themselves in their own unique ways.

When poets write to perform, they are writing for a different audience. An audience that "may love your work, but at the end of the night, they have nothing to take home with them: no book, no tangible product to which they can refer later if they want to revisit the poetry." Described by Katie Ailes .

​Essentially, what this shows us is that careful consideration needs to be undertaken on the creation and purpose of an artiste's poetry and therefore, the audience it is targeted at.

Written poetry needs to have rhythm, but it is not a necessity, whereas a performance piece relies heavily on its rhythm. This will therefore determine the type of devices used within the piece.

​​Carefully consider how you construct your verse by considering how you want it to be heard. That way you'll write for the right audience.

I recently heard that a venue that has been supporting not only up and coming Spoken Word artists, but also indie music acts, was due to close down. I was shocked.

There has been a resurgence recently in Spoken Word performance poetry, and to some degree this has been acknowledged and even celebrated. We can see this more recently in a couple of huge developments within the spoken word poetry scene:

In March Kate Tempest appeared on American Network television - on NBC's 'the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon'. She performed her poem 'Europe Is Lost' to millions. This is just the kind of exposure spoken word poetry needs.  Then, at the end of March, Hollie McNish - well known on the performance poetry scene, scooped up the coveted Ted Hughes award for her latest collection 'Nobody Told Me'.

This is outstanding. What this shows the world is that poetry is fluid from the page to the mic. It shows respect to the performance platform for this medium and it's use as a cultural art form. I delved into the continued success of spoken word poetry in making it out to a conventional audience in my blog piece:  "Sell-Out or Sell-In?"   Where spoken word artists are partnering with various organisations to help put their work and their words out into a mainstream audience. However, what I have noticed is this success is being overshadowed by the closure of iconic performance venues!  While we sat enjoying an evening of spoken word poetry at the March Out-Spoken Live event, and annual awards night, we were informed that the venue, the Forge in Camden - London, was due to close and that this would be the last time that Out-Spoken would be there. It was emotional and made the entire audience gasp. 

It's a sad reality that this is happening.

All around us venues are closing their doors or are unable to accommodate facilities needed to put on an entertaining night of spoken word poetry. 

Reported by the BBC in October 2016: "And music venues do not fare much better. Of the 430 that traded in London between 2007 and 2015, only 245 are still open, research by the London Assembly suggests.​"

Is there a green light in store for this? Well, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, there is. He is looking to appoint a 'Night Tsar' to work across London who will work as “a key driver of economic and cultural regeneration, and a magnet for domestic and international visitors” across the capital.

Their role will look to provide increased protection for music venues and nightclubs, working with developers to find new sites. A new approach will mean that the responsibility will now be on developers to ensure special steps are taken, such as soundproofing new residential properties in the areas where music venues or nightclubs are already established. Or likewise, if a nightclub opens in a residential area, it will be responsible for safeguarding residents’ peace, thus creating a harmony among cultural enthusiasts and local inhabitants.

This is great, but it only looks to address the issue in one location across the UK. However, I suppose if this is a success then it can easily be replicated across the country in order to stop our unique cultural night-life from being lost and forgotten.

My fingers are well and truly crossed that the continued success of the Spoken Word artists will be followed up with a rejuvenation in provisions for allowing this art form to be seen and flourish.

Folks - only time will tell. ​

Recently, and more specifically, in the last 12 months there has been a plethora of advertising utilising spoken word artists and poetry. Is this a problem?

Personally speaking, I like them. What I like about them is that they are putting spoken word and poetry in front of a wider and more mainstream audience, which can only benefit the art of poetry and spoken word.

Well-known spoken word artists such as, Hollie McNish, Sabrina Mahfouz, Amy Acre and Matt Abbott are just some that have taken part in this form of advertising (see below), using their work alongside corporate branding and organisations.

There are some, however, that have not found this a good way to 'promote' our art-form. Instead they are signposting it as fellow poets and lyricists selling out in order to make money - see video below from poet and spoken word artist, Luke Wright.What is clear is that these poets are being paid to do a service, but what I ask you is to please look deeper. Yes, they did get paid to produce these pieces, but it is THEIR words, not the corporate companies they are deemed to be promoting.

The words spoken in these ads come from them and they are powerful, poignant and reminiscent. What they are doing is opening up spoken word and poetry to a whole new audience, which can only benefit the art.

I honestly do not see how this can cause any harm.

Poetry is more than anger and promoting the fight against 'the man' - obviously this still has it's place, but like with anything it has grown and evolved into a much wider medium.

So, well done to these poets for reaching out and taking a risk to promote their words and the art they love.

I'd been away from the spoken word/poetry scene in London for quite a few years, but on Wednesday the 22nd of February 2017 I was reintroduced to it in a big way. Out-Spoken Live is an intimate night filled with hard-hitting and powerful poetry from some of the capitals up & coming and established poets and spoken word artists.

​It was a surprisingly intimate event where the audience were all huddled together, which was unpredictably due to the almost sell-out crowd of 110. At one point my knees were in the back of the person in front of me and I could feel the breath of the person behind me on my neck.

But this was great - it meant that the energy supplied by the acts flew into the audience, which only helped to captivate us even more.

The venue even had the outdoors inside (left) - with foliage adoring the walls it felt like we were outside in a courtyard rather than a bar in Camden.The evening started off with a young up and coming talent in Jamal Khan , whose piece set the scene and tone of the night yet to come.

Next on stage was the lovely Selina Nwulu , who performed a couple of deep and heart-wrenching pieces about love. For me, there's nothing more poetic than love - so I thoroughly enjoyed all of Selina's pieces.

​We were then greeted by our first musical act Nia Ekanem , who performed a few of his pieces. Nia's music was gritty and earthy, it was so good we just had to sing along, "it's your love, it's your love..."

'In Comes The Tide' - Live from @OutSpokenLDN | full vid: https://t.co/zs85rgu4HP pic.twitter.com/PsBtexskiv

— King Kamar (@Karim_Kamar) February 23, 2017

Pete 'the Temp' Bearder's  natural and unique style then bursts onto the stage, where he enthusiastically told us stories about his time as poet in residence at Glastonbury festival and his time as a teacher. So inspiring. 

The incomparable Joelle Taylor played host for the evening and done a sterling job of rallying the audience for every act on stage. She also performed one of her powerful pieces - encapsulating the audience in a Joelle Taylor bubble. 

​Karim Kamar opened the second half with a composition of his so powerful that it hit me straight in my heart (Tweet and Clip left) - bringing forth all sorts of emotions. Such a lovely piece, Karim is certainly one to watch out for.

The magic of  John Hegley  then graced the stage as the ​featured act of the evening, which is strange  to say because in a way they were all features.

​However, his unique poetic yet musical style enthralled the audience hysterically - at one point having the entire audience doing physical movements to his poetry. It was great. I had seen John live once before at a different event, but he hasn't changed - he's still the same character he always has been, which is nice to see: even when I was being teased about wearing contact lenses!

Eliza Shaddad (tweet and video right) closed the event with her hypnotic music serenading us. She had the audience in a trance from start to finish - I'll definitely be looking at her music on iTunes.

​In the end I was so glad to be back, it felt like I had been away for so long. I remember looking out across the audience and feeling my age, but it was a good feeling. I could see a whole new generation just waiting to absorb poetry, spoken word and music. It has given me faith, that in uncertain times in the world we live in, there is hope that the 'word' still caries weight.

Essentially the event itself spoke to me. Saying that I was finally...home - experiencing what I love!

The hauntingly beautiful vocals of @ElizaShaddad playing us out. Absolutely outstanding talent #OutSpoken #outspokenldn pic.twitter.com/3njTLCK5q0

— Out-Spoken (@OutSpokenLDN) February 22, 2017