🆕️ My latest post on Substack is a mix of career development, cultural exchange, and general thoughts at the close of 2025. It's free for everybody to read, so please share it if you like it! mattabbottpoet.substack.com/p/discoverie...

Last night saw the celebration event for the second instalment of the Mayor’s Script Diversity Programme through Screen Yorkshire. I was buzzing to be a part of the cohort, which included 10 writers who are all established outside of screenwriting.

Soul Shed at WX Wakefield on 6 Dec Matt Abbott is performing as part of Soul Shed at WX Wakefield on Saturday 6 December 2025.

This week's essay is a candid insight into how you might approach the crossroads of a poem's first draft stage. Because, more often than not, first drafts aren't under-polished — they're under𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥. 💷 £5 per month for weekly long-form posts.

This week's essay continues my series on the process of publishing a poetry collection, right through from conception to post-publication. 💭 How do you graduate from the daydream phase to giving your collection a tangible presence in your life? 🛑 What should you avoid at this stage?

This is a potent and fascinating post from @leedsista.com. I knew it would be, given DC's abundant talent for writing about such complex themes and characters as Clarke Carlisle. But still, it's due a virtual round of applause 👏🏻 CW: mentions of suicide www.leedsista.com/clarke-carli...

𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝙀𝙋𝙄𝙎𝙊𝘿𝙀 🔜 We're back on Soho Radio this Monday from 2-4pm, when we'll be joined live in the studio by Iona Lee! Tune in at sohoradio.com or via DAB. Two hours of art, culture, books, poetry, and activism. Co-presented by @salenagodden.bsky.social, @amahrose.bsky.social & @mattabbottpoet.com

Lads I've been scouring D:Ream's discography and I can't find a single track called 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦.

I didn't think it was possible to despise Margaret Hodge any more than I already did, but there you go.

I've been listening to it all week, and so have you. As poets, what are the main takeaways from @thelilyallen.bsky.social's new album?

This week's essay ✍️🏻

Can't wait to be on co-hosting duties for this one! Tickets are on sale now for £8/6 ✌🏻

This week's essay looks at various ways we need to adapt as freelance poets.

𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙉 𝘽𝘼𝘾𝙆 🎧 𝙋𝙡𝙪𝙨, 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙠! Episode 55 is now available to listen back in full on the Soho Radio Mixcloud site! You can find the link in our brand-new Substack newsletter, which also includes links from our round-ups... open.substack.com/pub/roaring2...

📚❤️ This Thursday 16th October: 6pm - 7pm. Poetry Pharmacy, Oxford Street. Readings and book signings, FREE entry. See you down there! Thank you lovelies @canongate.co.uk Xx www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/with-love-...

The 2nd in my monthly essay series on publishing a poetry collection, plus a shift in approach for The Day Job.

Seamus Heaney had a poem published for the first time on Saturday. I've devised a three-part exercise in response ✍️🏻

Everybody knows how different 11 year olds are from 16 year olds, but this post looks at the incremental changes through the year groups.

This approach entered my poetry writing process out of necessity in 2017 and has remained ever since.

Some writing prompts responding to an Inua Ellams poem ✍️🏻

I'm no @martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com and nor will I try to be, but here are some tips I've picked up over the last decade or so.

Are you visiting a school for #NationalPoetryDay and in need of a few ideas on this year's theme? Here are some exercises I've designed for upper KS2/lower KS3.

📻 𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬 📡 Tune into Soho Radio from 2-4pm as we're joined live in the studio by superstar guest Sukie Smith! Ep54 will include our usual round-ups and features, plus a perfect playlist to kick-start your week. Hosts: @salenagodden.bsky.social, @amahrose.bsky.social & @mattabbottpoet.com

Hello. My latest Substack post is one I've been looking forward to writing for a while...

every time there's political violence discourse i think about how jo cox was assassinated in broad daylight by a fascist who shouted "britain first" as he shot her, and now nine years later her party is dedicating every moment in power to placating the ideology of her murderer

I'm standing for election to the Society of Authors management committee! Here's my full candidate statement. Voting closes on 22 Oct.

My latest post aims to provide a few tips for those dreaded moments on stage when you feel like you're totally losing your audience! Even though you almost certainly aren't, because...y'know...anxiety.

𝟮𝟬𝟬 subscribers to 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗯 📧 If you're a new or emerging poet and you haven't come across my newsletter yet, have a butcher's! mattabbottpoet.substack.com

Be the poet wandering around with their little black notebook, except you're speaking instead of scribbling.

If it's possible to have a face for radio, Gabby Agbonlahor has a voice for print.

Some detailed insights into producing poetry merch for my paid subscribers, including financial info.

𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗧 𝗩𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗕 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝘚𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘴 Big; Big Big; Big Big Big 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 Top; Top Top; Top Top Top 𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 Un𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃able 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 For me, y'know, look, at the end of the day, it's about winning football matches

Today's post invites you to respond to the iconic political poet Assata Shakur.

It feels like we're at a stage where the actual real-life Premier League primarily exists to fuel people's obsession with FPL.

I've enjoyed many a pint of Northern Monk over the years, so I was chuffed to be commissioned to write this poem for their inaugural Great Northern Day event!

My monthly round-up of UK poetry events and fresh poetry books for August. No paywall, folks ✌🏻

The new academic year is creeping up, and I remember how nervous I used to be about delivering whole-school assemblies. So, here are some tips!

Huge thanks to George Szirtes for longlisting my poem 'Peacocks Can't Swim' for the The Plaza Poetry Prize (40 lines max).

The amount of time you spend prepping the paddling pool versus the amount of time they spend in it.

This post explores using alternative perspectives in order to add new dimensions to your poetry. Also, there's no paywall, so please share it! Ta...

It's hard enough to put on a poetry event. It's even harder to sell the tickets! Hopefully, some of these tips will be useful...

ADHD diary. I had ~35 mins between putting our son down & needing to put the tea on. Decided to treat myself to a bottle of beer whilst finishing my book. Opened the beer. Became distracted, tidying things away for 20 mins. And then couldn't find the beer that I'd opened for a solid 5 mins or so.

Looking for some fresh poetry inspiration? Bad Betty Press is an excellent place to go!

Aerial footage filmed by ITV News shows the scale of Gaza's destruction It’s estimated Gaza had as much, likely more, explosives dropped on it as Dresden, Hamburg and London in WW2 www.itv.com/news/2025-08...

This is painfully true. I used to average around £6-8k per year from brand poetry commissions. This year, I've earned less than £1.5k so far and have consistently had to accept a lower rate.

In an ideal world, all us poets woulds would have to worry about is writing to the best of our ability. But this isn't an ideal world...

Some craft notes that explore the use of silence in poetry, including 3 examples. The bulk of this is free for everybody, with some bespoke writing prompts for paid subscribers at the bottom.

Over 600 people turned up to yesterday’s Foreign Office protest led by Jews and Israelis from mi-neged and Na’amod to demand SANCTIONS NOW on Israel.

This is unimaginably bleak. And the UK isn't too far behind...

Hannah Hampton deserves an immense amount of credit for how she filled Mary Earps' gloves. And you can never underestimate Leah Williamson's presence. But I can't look past Chloe Kelly for my favourite player of #WEURO2025. She's just top class - what a thrilling player to watch 🙌🏻 #ENG