Growing Your Poetic Voice: A course for writers with some experience of writing poetry

Focus each week on a specific subject
Including writing for special events, nature writing, writing for publication
And much more.

This
10-week course is aimed at anyone who has some previous experience of writing
Poetry - either through a previous adult education class, a writing group, an
on-line course, or self-taught independent practise. It would also be of
Interest to writers with experience of other forms of creative writing who
would like to develop their poetic practise. Maybe you’ve been writing
Privately and now wish to challenge yourself further, or have the opportunity
To develop your writing with other emerging and new voices.

There will be opportunities to work on your own
writing and to share it.We will develop our work using two
Writing prompts each week, supported by examples of contemporary poetry
PowerPoints to further develop writing confidence and lots of time to share
work and receive peer feedback. Class members will also be encouraged to work
And share other writing and to develop their own poetic voice in a safe and
Supportive learning environment.

Week 1: 23 April

Agreeing the course programme, how
Sessions will work, personal goal setting for the next 10 weeks, ground rules
for giving and receiving feedback, and ice breaker exercise. This session will
Also include two writing prompts and time for group members to share their
Work.

Week 2: 30 April

Nature writing - writing about the
natural world in a time of climate anxiety. This session will include close
Reading of a contemporary poem, two writing prompts and time for group members
To share their work.

Week 3: 7 May

Using constraints to free up our work
exploring the work of the Olipu school, close reading of a contemporary poem
Two writing prompts and time for group members to share their work.

Week 4: 14 May

Writing poems from other people’s points
of view/lived experience. This session will use some of the research
methodology from my tutor Cathi’s own PhD research as writing prompts and there
Will be time for group members to share their work.

Week 5: 21 May

I don’t know what to write about! Practical
Strategies to deal with writers block and how to keep writing when inspiration
is lacking. This session will include a number of super-short writing prompts
And there will be time for group members to share their work.

Week 6: 4 June

Bespoke and commissioned poetry - how to
Write poems for special occasions and how to research to create a bespoke poem.
There will be a longer writing prompt and time for group members to share their
Work.

Week 7: 11 June

Finding inspiration outside of yourself
the homage poem and using visual prompts. We will use an existing contemporary
Poem as a longer writing prompt and explore how we can use art or photography
As a springboard for our own work.

Week 8: 18 June

Editing/re-drafting and improving our
work. Group members will be encouraged to bring existing work or rough drafts and
Work collaboratively to further develop these into finished pieces.

Week 9: 25 June

Getting your poetry to a wider audience
Small press publication/self-publishing/performing your work at spoken word
events. This session will include practical advice and understanding how
Submission works.

Week 10: 2 July

Performance/reading and sharing session
An opportunity for a longer sharing session with feedback.

Please note: no session on Thursday 28
May 2026.

About the tutor:

Tutor Cathi Rae is a widely published
Poet, spoken word artist, multiple poetry slam winner, workshop facilitator and
experienced teacher of adult education. Her work has appeared in journals
online magazines, poetry anthologies and art exhibitions. Cathi has performed
throughout the UK at poetry events, festivals and arts events, and has been
described as a spoken word icon! She has an MA in Creative Writing and PhD in
Poetry from the University of Leicester. And she probably doesn’t read enough
Either!

Further information:

Participants
Must be aged 18+.

A
Complimentary notebook and pencils/pens will be provided.

This 10-week course runs on Thursday evenings, 6pm - 8pm, starting
on 23 April and ending on 2 July 2026.

Although this is a 10-week course, each week is designed as a
Stand-alone workshop so if you are only able to attend some of the dates, or if
You'd like to spread the booking/payment over the 10 weeks, you can book
Individual sessions week by week.

Book all 10 weeks together and receive a 10% discount
(automatically applied when you book).

If the course/workshop you’d like to book is sold out, we do operate a
waiting list - simply contact our box office team on / and ask to be added to the waiting list. We’ll then contact you
If a place becomes available, with absolutely no obligation to accept it if
You've made other plans!

Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms
& Conditions before booking as courses/workshops
Are non-refundable if cancelled within 21 days of the start date for any
Reason.

We aim to
make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome
just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd
Like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss
your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email
Arts-centre@le.Ac.UK, pop in or call, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts
Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for
Blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays
and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to
Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road.

The closest public car park for parking at all
other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort
Hall).