Poet Gaia Holmes is running a modern poetry writing workshop at the Omniversity of Manchester,  MadLab, 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester, on Monday evenings from 10 September 2012 to 11 February 2013.

The course includes the predominant styles, structures and types of voice used by poets and learn how to implement them in your own work, with the aim to develop 12 poems to completion.

Gaia said: “You don’t necessarily need any practical experience of writing poetry, nor of supervised creative writing of any kind, but it’s important that you have an interest in - and enthusiasm for - contemporary (late 20th century to present-day) poetry. To get the most from the course you should be prepared do some background reading, undertake writing tasks between sessions, read the work of others on the course prior to each session, offer tactful – yet frank – feedback, and receive constructive criticism on your own work. The course isn’t geared towards any particular style of poetry – we’ll be looking at techniques applicable to a variety of genres.”

The cost  is £150 for six evening sessions over a six-month period.  

Gaia Holmes is a part-time creative writing lecturer at the University of Huddersfield and freelance writer who works with schools, libraries and other community groups throughout West Yorkshire. In her spare time she is a DJ for Phoenix FM, Calderdale’s community radio station. She also bangs and rattles a tambourine at gigs and rehearsals with Sambalifax and squeezes an accordion with Crow Hill Stompers. Her second poetry collection, Lifting the Piano With One Hand, is due out with Comma Press in the autumn. More course details