Caroline's collection was recently published. Platform caught up with her to find out more about her OU studies and her experiences as a result of winning the competition….
Caroline’s winning poem: An Apple Tree Spouts Philosophy in an office car park can be read on the Ward Wood Publishing website.
Her short collection An Apple Tree Spouts Philosophy is now on sale, with all £3 of the cover price going to raise funds for ‘The Cold Weather Shelters’, the same charity. The winner is chosen on the strength of just one poem, and as part of the prize they will be helped to complete a short paperback collection with 20 pages of poetry. Caroline has also had the opportunity to take part in a launch event and Open Mic night.
You gained a BA in Literature with the Open University? Why did you decide to study with the OU?
I’ve always loved books and literature but somehow I ended up studying accountancy and becoming an auditor. After spending several years in the corporate world, I became attracted to the idea of doing something different and I decided to study with the OU to give me a creative outlet. Getting a qualification wasn’t the most important thing for me though – I would have been quite happy just to go on with more courses really, but I suppose you have to stop somewhere? I’m fascinated by psychology, so maybe one day.
Have you been writing poetry long/When did your interest in writing poetry develop?
I’ve written some poetry in the past, but nothing much. I really started taking poetry more seriously when I first studied Creative Writing with the OU about four years ago. I completed both the level 2 and the level 3 Creative Writing courses. I remember feeling apprehensive about studying the subject at first, because I didn’t think I was particularly creative. But the courses were excellent for stimulating creativity and imagination, with techniques such as freewriting, and cluster diagrams.
How did you feel when you found out you had won the competition?
Quite shocked. I don’t think you ever expect to win something.
Can you share your experiences of :
Producing & getting An Apple Tree Sprouts Philosophy published?
This has been an exciting experience. I never felt time pressured to produce more poems for the pamphlet before I was ready. There was quite a lot of polishing and editing to do, even for such a small book. Adele Ward has been great - very helpful and encouraging all the way. It was a very valuable prize – far better than cash.
Doing a reading at Open Mic night?
I was quite nervous about the idea if I’m honest, but on the night I actually enjoyed myself. I suppose my worry was that people wouldn’t like the poems, and I would be faced with rows of stony faces. Of course it wasn’t like that at all. I attended poetry evenings leading up to the event, and took the opportunity to read at these whenever I could.
What you plan to achieve now after/alongside studying for you MA?
I would really love to publish a full collection when I’m ready. I have to produce poetry on a regular basis to take along to the MA workshops, which is a real incentive, so I’m building up a store. Not that I need the push, as writing poetry is something I always do. The only problem is that they all need more work after being critiqued at the workshops! It can take quite a lot of time and editing to get the poem to where it needs to be. It’s my aim to get up early and spend an hour or so editing before work. I managed it today for the first time.
Anything else you would like to share
One of the great things about studying for the MA is getting to read some fantastic poetry, from the classics to modern and contemporary poetry, some poets I’ve never even heard of before. Everyone says it, don’t they, but if you want to write poetry you have to be a reader of it first and foremost.
The poetry competition, judged by Carol Ann Duffy was introduced to raise funds for ‘The Cold Weather Shelters’ and organisers say they couldn’t survive without the contribution made by poetry. Events held and the competition are the brainchild of the poet Ruth O’Callaghan, who has been running the Lumen and Camden Poetry series of open mics and performances for five years.
Adele Ward of Ward Wood publishing said “I have no say in the judging of the competition, and I was delighted to see an OU student win because I also got back into studying by doing an MA in Literature with the OU and some of the Creative Writing courses. So the OU played a major part in the steps that led up to me starting Ward Wood Publishing.
Being able to publish an OU student felt especially rewarding, and I enjoyed working with Caroline on compiling her first short collection. Caroline won against incredibly tough competition, including published authors and poets from the best creative writing courses in the UK, Ireland, and around the world, so it’s interesting to see how the OU courses inspired and developed her skills.”
The prize is publication of a short collection, 50 copies and good promotion of the published collection including an invitation to read in the London venues if the poet wishes. The winner is chosen on the strength of one poem and will also be helped towards completing the short collection with free mentoring if needed. The entry fee is low to make it accessible to everybody (£2.50 per poem or £10 for 6) and all proceeds go to help the homeless in two London cold weather shelters. The judge is Carol Ann Duffy. No income is taken by any of the organisers or the judge from this competition.
The closing date is Tuesday 14 February and gives the author a foot in the door of publishing and a way to get their name widely known.
Find out more:
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Enter the competition with Ward Wood Publishing
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The open mic events are held in the two venues where the homeless sleep in the Cold Weather Shelters.
