A quick question. I'm new to WOL but I've noticed a lot of members are from or gravitate to the North West of England. Am I missing something? I would like to meet with like minded poeple but here in east Northamptonshire there's not a lot of poetry going on! Can someone enlighten me?

Many people who are active on this site are from the North West, but there are many others who are from other places too...

If you look to the right on the front page you will see 'What's on this week?'
and it has poetry events listed throughout the UK (and some other locales too).

The site was founded by two people from the North West. I think that it has grown into a national thing now though with many overseas members also.

As Francine says, the gig guide shows venues as far flung as Perth Western Ausralia, a fact which never ceases to make me smile. If there is a shortage of venues in your area, perhaps you should think about setting one up and advertising it on here and in local libraries etc. There may be other people like you who would love it. I'd definitely do that in your situation. We are very well catered for here in the North West though. I don't see a need for any more venues locally.

Hi all, Yes thats all true Iso and Francine. (Actually though 3 NW people set up WOL) Interesting that things are descending however. There are now more gigs on the gig guide in London than there are in the NW. Also WOL had its last meeting in London for the 1st time.

Yup - I live in Perth Western Australia and used to run "Poets Corner" at the State Library... now Janet Jackson runs a weekly event at The Moon Cafe. Just google her and it for more info.

Peter, glad to have you aboard. You can try searching the gig guide (click 'gig guide' at the top of home page) for northampton, or specific towns in or near. For example, there was definitely stuff going on in Milton keynes, and still is in Northampton, at the Labour club and elsewhere.
If you live somewhere that is an open-mic poetry desert (a reducing phenomenon) then we will help you all we can to set up your own event, perhaps even a Write Out Loud one, supported by us as we are currently discussing elsewhere.
For historical accuracy, Dave Morgan and I set up the original Write Out Loud open mic night in Bolton. The website was created by myself and my son, Michael and has been further developed with the help of Paul Emberson. Paul Blackburn helped to run Write Out Loud and to manage the website for a number of years, making a huge dfference along the way. And he is missed!
Frances, many thanks for letting us know about the Perth event. If you hear of any more Oz events going on we would love to hear about them, and would especially like to encourage them to post their info themselves onto the gig guide.
As for our apparent North West orientation, it simply no longer is true. Most events on the gig guide are in London and the home counties, and numbers are rising. Come on you Aussies, get listing!

Well, thank you all for the replies. This has given me something to think about. I'll put the word out in Raunds and in WOL and see what comes back. But please keep the sugestions coming and some help will be appreciated, 'hint - hint'.

I think it is a great testimony to the quality of the site that we have so many foreign members and contributors. It is also comforting to know that if and when my children disappear for a better life in Oz, I won’t be deprived of a good poetry fix when I go to visit them! So come on Melbourne – supposed centre of culture, where are your venues?

If WOL really does go global Julian, I envisage that you may have to subdivide the venues into countries/regions. How exciting is that? It may prove a little harder getting funding from abroad though…

Anyone wanting tips on how to set up and run a venue should come and take a look at the Tudor, in Wigan - the best in the North West... and quite possibly the northern hemisphere. Not that I'm biased or anything.