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

What a truly phenomenal team 🏆 The Lionesses have brought me such a huge amount of joy over the last 10 years or so. I feel totally invested in them as people as well as players. And tbh, I find the experience of watching women's international tournaments overall much more enjoyable than the men's.

I dunno if this is a Leeds thing or what, but drunk people really can't handle it when you read a book in public. Outrage and ridicule almost every time.

This is a bit of a deep-dive on last year's @livewirepoetry.org project for paid subscribers.

Sending virtual hugs to everyone else who received a DYCP rejection today. It's always a stinger, but then you can only ever count successes as a massive bonus anyway! Keep scribbling away and it'll come…

Colossal thanks to all my paid subscribers 🙏🏻 mattabbottpoet.substack.com

I'm trying out a new (free) monthly feature, which sees me sharing my UK poetry events and books round-up from @roaring20sradio.bsky.social 👇🏻

🚨 RIGHT NOW opposite Labour Party HQ in London. We’ve turned their street into Jabaliya camp in Gaza. A genocide is happening, but the Labour government is supplying weapons, intelligence and diplomatic cover to the perpetrator. Protesting this is not terrorism.

A beautiful and politically charged show today, although we missed @amahrose.bsky.social dearly! Thanks so much to Bridget Minamore for joining us in the Soho Radio studio. We're having a little summer break and will return on Mon 15 Sep from 2-4pm BST 📻

This is quite a deep dive, and I'm pretty chuffed with it, which means it'll probably get far less engagement than average!

Are any other #LUFC fans irritated by this, considering we never once wore that shirt in Europe 🤦🏻‍♂️

📻 Tune into Soho Radio this Monday (21 July) for Episode 53 of Roaring 20s Radio! As always, we'll be roaring about art, culture, books, poetry, and activism. We'll be joined live in the studio by the wonderful Bridget Minamore, who'll discuss her creative career alongside @fossilfreebooks.org.

If you haven't listened to @mollynaylor.bsky.social's podcast yet, these are my reasons why you should!

RIP, Andrea ❤️ A true great!

This is such a great album by Corinne Bailey Rae. I realise I'm late to the party, but I'm proper loving it at the moment... Experimental, exciting, chilled yet full of punk spirit. It's ace.

Some thoughts and advice on learning to advocate for yourself as a freelance artist, which has taken me nearly a decade.

Most of this post is free, with a unique take on the poetry prompt for paid subscribers.

UTA dropped Bob Vylan but represents Chris Brown just so you know where the line of acceptability is

This is fine, though - yeah?