The Poetry Society

Poetry Prescription

Write better poetry...

Our team of established, professional poets will provide detailed, critical feedback on your poetry, based on your experience, skills and poetic ambitions. You may send in up to 100 lines of your poetry. The service includes:

• an appraisal of your work and suggestions to help you develop it
• a prescription of further reading material
• advice on the best way to present your work
• a current poetry competitions listing
• a current writers' groups and retreats listing
• a listing of current poetry magazines and their contact details
• the latest issue of Poetry News (for non-members)

Be prepared for an honest and rigorous response.

£50 (or £40 for Poetry Society members).

Next steps:

• Download & complete the questionnaire
• Send the questionnaire with your poems to  membership AT poetrysociety.org.uk - poems should be typed on 1 side of the page only and each page should carry your name & address.
• Allow up to 6 weeks for the return of your appraisal.

Feedback on Poetry Prescription:

'Just wanted to say that the feedback I received was invaluable! I have learned an enormous amount from your poet's comments. Many thanks!' Nina Boyd, Huddersfield

'Please pass on my thanks to the person responsible for my recent Poetry Prescription... he/she obviously read my work carefully and put a lot of thought into her comments. One or two remarks - things I could never have seen for myself - really struck home.' William Francis, France

'I would like to thank the Poetry Society for organising this project and the person who offered such good advice and information... thanks for such an innovative project.' Reba Bhaduri, Manchester

'Just had Poetry Prescription back and found it enormously useful... It was both affirming and informative. Well worth doing.' Anne Cunningham, Hertfordshire

Please give my thanks to the poet who took on this task and say how much I appreciate the thoroughness of the feedback. The accompanying materials are also helpful... a really good investment'. James Henderson-Findlay, Lincolnshire

'Please pass along my thanks for the recent response to my Poetry Prescription submission. I found the assessor's comments very helpful, constructive and encouraging.' Nigel Wade, Cheltenham

'...very interesting, extremely helpful and encouraging. Please pass on my heartfelt thanks to the poet concerned.' Pamela Toombs, Suffolk

'Thank you for the prompt return of a very helpful prescription... I can recognise both the knowledgeable judgment and the sensitivity to the individual in your critique - both are very much appreciated.' Helen Evans, Alton

'Many thanks for my Poetry Prescription response and please pass on my sincere thanks to the 'prescriber' for their very useful and encouraging advice.' Des Hannigan, Penzance

'Thanks very much for my Poetry Prescription. I'm very pleased with it'.  John Buck, London

'Please pass my appreciation to the person concerned for his/her meticulous reading and valuable comments - I have applied those I agreed with to my work and reading and found them so apposite that I am still thinking about those I strongly disagreed with!' Mr A, West Yorkshire

'This has proved to be a really helpful and encouraging experience that has given me the belief that I can write and that I am a poet... I am now fired up to carry on with my work and to grow and improve as a poet. Many thanks.' Kathryn Alderman, Gloucester