Now Then | Wordlife. |

As you read this it will be 2012, and behind the doom and gloom there’s some good news - it has never been a better time to be a writer in South Yorkshire. There is a wealth of opportunity to participate through workshops, events and publications, as well as chances to see some great talent passing through the region in the near future.

Not a huge amount of information about Sheffield’s literature scene is freely available and consolidated in one place, but we’re going to give it a go in a whistlestop tour of Sheffield’s literary going ons. From open mic nights to university led courses and innovative poetry performances by writers like Jarvis Cocker and Roger McGough, Sheffield’s literature scene is expanding fast.

Open Mic Nights.

Open mic nights are the lifeblood of a local scene. In Sheffield there are a number of regular nights that feature poetry and offer open slots on the night. The Shipping Forecast runs at The Rude Shipyard, hosted by Stan Skinny. It’s a great, informal evening with a supportive crowd usually headlined by a special guest. There is also Slam Baam Thank You Maam, a new night at The Riverside run by Sarah Thomasin. Then there is SpeakEasy down at Hallam Hubs run by John Turner and Adam Morris as an outlet for Hallam Union’s creative writers. Just up the road, the Rutland Arms is host to Northern Lights, an open showcase of live literature run by Jude Calvert-Toulmin. The Story Forge is also an amazing monthly story telling night down at The Fat Cat run by Tim Ralphs. Rotherham is fast becoming a bit of a hotspot too, with ROMP run by Gav Roberts packing out monthly poetry slots at The Bridge Inn.

There are also regular readings at Bank Street Arts, often put on by Sheffield’s leading poetry publisher The Poetry Business run by Ann and Peter Sansom. Savage Poets Collective are running regular events up at Bishop’s House in Meersbrook. The Greystones has featured a few literary shows from Saturday Live Radio 4 resident poets Luke Wright and Kate Fox. Music events are also increasingly incorporating poetry in their programme, and Sheffield’s best community festival Peace In The Park has poetry readings across several stages.

Literature Festivals.

Sheffield Poetry Festival in March and Off The Shelf Literature Festival in October feature national talent across a variety of venues in the city. Their programmes are too broad to list here but include poets, authors, comedians and much more.

Publishing.

Sheffield Poetry Business publishes The North, a regular outlet for poetry. There’s also Matter, Hallam Union’s regular creative writing magazine publishing the best of their students’ work. Longbarrow Press publishes its own pamphlets too. Dead Beats Literary Journal is a new website run by Sheffield University Students getting attention from all over the world. And naturally, the Word Life section here in Now Then Magazine is worth a look-in.

Workshops.

Writing organisations Signposts and The Writing Squad are your best bet for young writers in the 14-24 age bracket. If you’re a bit older, Art In The Park often offer open workshps on a variety of different writing projects throughout the year. There are also open workshops available through Off The Shelf and the Poetry Business who run their own writing days. For more established writers, Sheffield Hallam’s Creative Writing MA is one of the best in the country and has produced several award-winning poets and authors in recent years.

Well that’s about all we’ve got room for, and we’ve barely mentioned any poets or some of the great work that is being produced in our city. Apologies for anyone we’ve missed. Libraries can often provide information about local book groups or creative writing workshops in your local area, so call in there for more information.

If you have any questions or would like any more details about any of the info published above, please contact joe@nowthenmagazine.com

Word Life vs Dead Beats Literary Journal.

18th February.
The Riverside.
£3.

Featuring open mic, poets from Word Life and the student-run Dead Beats Literary Journal, including one of Timeout’s top ten literary stars, Ross Sutherland, and Sheffield’s own innovative violinst Sieben. Find out more here.

Happiness.

the Christmas coca cola truck
tinsel and baubles
plastic tree
and flashing lights
are hard to take

she finds
my real tree
wooden toys
and paper decorations
boring and pretentious

but we both know
that neither of us chose
what makes us happy.

TRISTAN MOSS.

Vicissitude.

part of me’s
one of those picturesque villages
that’s stayed the same
for strangers
who have no interest
in nearby places
that had to change.

TRISTAN MOSS.

Robin Hoods Bay.

upon a steeped slope
the captain’s cottage rests
and a kiss

the old arch reveals
a leopard woman majestic

murmuring tide advancing
galloping tongues of rock
enticing a lover’s death

the pier funnels the waves
surging against the harbour wall

fossils use the wet sand
communicating their story
dense stories of sorrow

an awkward silhouette
beneath a smugglers tunnel

the sky is mottled
full of rain
and promises

is there a lighthouse here?
how fast is the tide?

our boots full of sea water
a quiet happiness
basks the town

waves roll in atop the undertow
even while the city encases us

Butterflies seem rare this year.

TOM LYNAM.