Your Poems are Powerhouses: A Masterclass — Session 2 of 3
What to Expect...
3-part masterclass with Shivanee Ramlochan and guest poet Olive Senior
Saturday 12, 19, 26, October, 2024
Format: Virtual
Level: intermediate to advanced
Cost: $900TT
Time: 11am – 1.30pm
Unassailable strength. Voice, shaking the rafters with its assurance. Truth that rattles the floorboards of the everyday. The best poems have them, and so too do yours, even when the power of your writing feels concealed from your own gaze. In this three-part intensive masterclass, join Shivanee Ramlochan as she presents a pathway to your own poems’ power. The masterclass will focus on close readings of catalytic Caribbean and international poems, immersive craft exercises, and dedicated in-workshop feedback: each participant will receive individual, oral and written commentary on their work. Your Poems are Powerhouses features an exclusive guest tutor visit from Olive Senior, Poet Laureate of Jamaica 2021-2024.
This masterclass is primed for poets on the verge of submitting their manuscripts for consideration to agents or publishers, or individual and grouped poems for competitions, residencies and fellowships.
Allow yourself access to your own power, poet: your creative legacy, as you hew and form your own house of verses, requires nothing less.
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Writers must submit one poem, indicative of their strongest work in progress, in advance upon masterclass acceptance: they will receive written feedback on this piece, as well as further feedback on the work they generate during the masterclass. Please email this to [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bocas Lit Fest is held every year during the last week of April/ first week of May in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
The Bocas Lit Fest takes place at the National Library and the adjoining Old Fire Station in downtown Port of Spain.
Entrance to the Festival Village is free (unless otherwise stated), and almost all of our events – including readings, panel discussions, film screenings, performances and children’s events – are free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come basis and everyone is welcome.
There are two notable exceptions:
1) The First Citizens National Poetry Slam semi-finals and finals are ticketed events. We recommend purchasing tickets early to avoid disappointment! Note: While in-person performance restrictions remain in place, the FCNPS will be broadcast on national TV in Trinidad and Tobago so everyone can enjoy.
2) You must register in advance to reserve your spot in our writing workshops. You can register online, by phone or by email. We do have free workshops, but most have a small fee.
Our Festival programme is developed around specific annual themes and generally features recently published Caribbean authors. We showcase the writers longlisted and shortlisted for the major literary awards administered by Bocas Lit Fest, as well as the independent panels of experts and writers who judge them. We also review nominations from publishers and our programme partners to determine the most exciting new voices to showcase each year.
We welcome submissions from authors wishing to participate in the Festival, but we have limited openings for writers who don’t fall into one of the above categories. We follow up on submissions/ queries from authors that fit with our programme plans and themes for upcoming Festivals.
If you’re interested in participating in the Bocas Lit Fest, send us an email at [email protected] with an author bio, book synopsis and any critical reviews/ endorsements for consideration. All writers are welcome to participate in our Stand & Deliver series.
We have several events during the Festival, and year round, that seek out and support promising new talent:
- Writing workshops for all levels (advance registration required)
- Stand and Deliver is our main platform for new writers who want to read their work for peers and a festival audience. This is an open-mic event for writers of all genres. While the Festival remains virtual, we’ll put out an online open call for submissions from writers, and the Stand & Deliver will be a pre-recorded virtual event within the Festival programme (and throughout the year if interest from writers is high!).
- Writers First is our series of free seminars for budding and self-published writers on key areas of the book business, led by publishing experts. You can access the recordings full of advice from industry professional in the content library.
- Our New Talent Showcase and New Writing events shine a spotlight on promising new writers, many of whom have gone on to be published after appearing on our stage.
- The Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize (formerly the Hollick Arvon) supports an emerging Caribbean writer in completing a work in progress.
The Bocas Lit Fest does not sell or distribute books, so books by authors appearing at the Festival (and many other titles) are sold by independent booksellers who set up booths in our Festival Village. Make sure to purchase early so you’re first in line for book signing!
Beyond books, the Festival Village has an array of exciting local products, crafts and services from specialist vendors — everything from artisan chocolate to handmade clothing, jewellery and crafts. If you’re interested in having your own booth at the Festival, contact us at [email protected] for a copy of our vendor registration form and to get more information on renting a booth space at the Bocas Lit Fest.
Since 2017 we’ve been livestreaming the events at the Old Fire Station, and those videos are available on our YouTube channel here. We have audio recordings of Festival events from before 2017, and those are available via Soundcloud here. If you are interested in using or sharing a recording from the festival, please contact us for permission at [email protected].
Yes! We recruit a large team of volunteers to help at the annual Bocas Lit Fest.