First of the year

I don’t really believe in New Year Resolutions but I will try and be a better blogger this year. Well, a more frequent blogger in any case. I was delighted to receive a positive reaction to my last post: a round up of 2010 including my poetry top 20. This inspired a number of people to make their list and many thanks to my friends in the East Kent area who re-posted the link.

So how’s 2011 working out for you? I’m pleased to say mine has been great so far as I won the Best Performance by a UK Poet category at the Farrago Zoo Awards. Many thanks to all who voted for me and congratulations to all the winners. It was also a pleasure to see Rachel Pantechnicon grace the stage and it always lifts my spirits to see her perform.

I took part in Pure and Good and Right’s Open Mic in Leamington last night and this featured special guest Bohdan Piasecki. I’ve seen Bohdan perform a few times but only one or two poems at a time. So it was a treat to see an extended set of real quality and a polished performance. (I didn’t mean that as a pun when I first wrote it but I’m claiming it now).

Tonight I’m visiting the excellent Scribal Gathering in Stony Stratford then I will be concentrating on preparing for the first Poets and Promoters Forum in Oxford on Saturday 22 January. I felt there was a need for poetry people to get together at the start of the year, share their plans and put dates into the diary. So this is a hastily arranged pilot event to see if others feel the same and if so, we can arrange more in the future. The Forum will feature Flash Presentations from Promoters, Speed dating for Poets and a Forum Discussion as well as lots of opportunities to network.

To register, please email me at markniel@gmail.com with your contact details and a 50 word biography for the Forum Directory (£3 registration fee payable at theforum) by Wednesday 19 January. The Forum will take place from 3pm to 6pm with networking over drinks/a meal from 6pm to 8pm. (Please indicate if you wish to stay for a meal).

Best wishes and make this your year! Keep writin’ and recitin’

Mark