A Place for Your Poetry
to Breathe, Grow, and Bloom
Join Poetical Workshop: a flexible, inspiring online community for poets who want to write more, deepen their craft, and stay connected — no matter what life brings.
About My Work
I’m a poet, creative writing lecturer and solo mum with over 20 years’ experience of teaching poetry writing. I have a PGCE and a PhD, and I’m a member of the Higher Education Academy and the National Association of Writers in Education.
My debut poetry pamphlet Whichever Music (tall-lighthouse 2011) was a Poetry Book Society pamphlet choice and was shortlisted for a Michael Marks Award. Feral (Bloodaxe Books 2018) was a Poetry Book Society recommendation and a Telegraph poetry book of the month. My latest book Pretenders (Bloodaxe 2025) is a multi-voice exploration of imposter feelings and ‘imposter syndrome’.
My poems have been shortlisted for The Moth Poetry Prize, The Basil Bunting Prize and the Mslexia Poetry Competition, and published widely in magazines and anthologies. I’ve received three writing awards from Arts Council England.
Do you long to make more space and time for your poetry?
It can be hard to maintain a poetry practice alongside work, study, or caring commitments.
Poetical Workshop helps you complete at least one new poem every two weeks using inspiring in-depth resources and video/audio prompts, nurturing support, and optional sharing and feedback spaces. You’ll have access to high quality learning materials including live and recorded Zoom workshops, and the ongoing support of an international expert-led community —all hosted in an online space you can access any time on your desktop and via mobile app.
Unlike some ‘flexible’ options, Poetical Workshop is both on-demand and interactive, so you can choose the level of participation that suits you. Whether you’re returning to poetry or seeking to deepen your craft, you’ll find the structure and encouragement to make poetry part of your everyday rhythm.
Poetical Workshop is designed for writers with some experience who want to strengthen their poetry writing practice and skills, share their work through publication or performance, and grow.
We are an inclusive community with a robust anti-discrimination code of conduct.
How Poetical Workshop Helps You Make Space For Poetry
✏️ Write More Often
Fortnightly prompts (reading resource plus video or audio), gentle accountability and regular mini-challenges keep your practice alive.
🌿 Develop Your Craft
Learn from an experienced tutor and guest poets.
💬 Stay Connected
Get encouragement, share your work with fellow poets, and find your writing rhythm.
Membership Options
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Stay inspired and connected, and keep writing regularly
Perfect if you’re looking for structure, prompts, and community support without time pressure.
You’ll get:
Fortnightly poetry prompts (a 3-5 page resource plus a video or audio prompt) plus Thursday Zoom micro-workshops (12.30pm UK time)
Accountability: share your prompt-inspired poems in a supportive, no-feedback space
Access to on-demand craft sessions and courses
Collaborative poetry activities
Learning resources, poetry news, submission deadlines and opportunities, and more
A respectful, encouraging community space where you can share challenges, inspirations and successes, ask questions, and discover new poetry.
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Deepen your craft through guided feedback and peer connection.
Ideal if you want to grow your work with tutor input and shared accountability.
You’ll get everything in Inspiration, plus:
Peer feedback and guaranteed tutor feedback on up to 4 new poems each month
A dedicated, well-moderated sharing space for constructive and supportive workshop exchange
Weekly writing hours (Monday morning and Thursday evening UK time)
Monthly lunchbreak craft workshops and seasonal poetry events
Opportunities to publish and perform your work within the community.
Join our Founding Circle today
Help us shape Poetical Workshop for the future by joining our early-access Founding Circle. Up to 20 Founding Circle members will get 30 minutes of one-to-one mentoring and a 20% lifetime membership discount. Founding Circle signup ends 31st December 2025.
We believe poetry should be open to everyone
If you’re a student, receiving government benefits, or on a low income, please get in touch — we offer confidential discounted memberships.
If you need to, you can cancel your membership easily any time.
Expert Guidance from Our Guest Tutors
Each month we have an in-depth resource and video or audio prompt from a new guest poet, so you can experience a wealth of poetry wisdom and a variety of different approaches.
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![Poet Cath Drake]()
Cath Drake
October 2025
Poetry and Mindfulness -
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Jacqueline Saphra
November 2025
The Sonnet -
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Sarah Howe
December 2025
Image and more details coming soon -
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Kayo Chingonyi
January 2026
Images and more details coming soon
Here’s how poets describe their experience of the Poetical Workshop community and Kate’s teaching
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'The prompts are interesting and varied, and provide inspiration to help me sustain my poetry writing practice. I’ve enjoyed them so far and look forward to seeing what's next. Being able to access everything through the app is really convenient and flexible. It helps me stay motivated because I don’t need to be at home or at my desk to engage with the workshop.'
Jodie Duffy, Poetical Workshop member
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'It's been a joy working together. I've learned a lot, read the work of writers I hadn't previously heard of, and I’ve really enjoyed reading all of our different prompt and workshop poems too. There's a chapter in the Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver that speaks about the experience of writing workshops. It's been lovely experiencing one myself!'
Wieke Vink, Wise Women Poetry Workshop (online)
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'Kate is a transformative poet and educator. Kate’s support of her students was unwavering, her excitement around poetic craft was infectious, her feedback comprehensive, constructive and sincere. She fostered in me a confidence predicated on a greater understanding of poetic form and function, and a sort of writerly instinct that ultimately affords me the ability to interrogate my own work.'
Elizabeth Morton, Oxford University Writing Poetry course (online)
About Kate Potts
Founder of Poetical Workshop
I’m a poet, creative writing lecturer, and solo mum with over 20 years’ experience of teaching poetry and helping writers to find their voices and thrive.
Over the years I’ve taught online, international courses for Oxford University, Middlesex University, The Poetry School, and privately, guiding poets as they grow in craft and confidence.
When I became a solo parent and moved away from London, time for reading, writing and talking about poetry became more scarce — and more precious — than ever. Digital technologies became a lifeline, and I began to ask: What would a truly flexible, high-quality poetry workshop look like — one that fits into lives like mine?
Poetical Workshop grew from that question. It’s built for poets like me — and like you — who want to stay inspired and connected while juggling the chaos of everyday life. It combines expert guidance, genuine interaction, and the freedom to write according to your own schedule and make poetry part of the rhythm of your days — because I believe that poetry is not a luxury, and shouldn’t be something you struggle to squeeze in when everything else is done.
In 2025-2026 we’ll have prompts and resources from some fabulous guest poets, including Cath Drake on poetry and mindfulness, Jacqueline Saphra on the sonnet, Sarah Howe, Kayo Chingonyi, JLM Morton, Holly Hopkins and more.
I look forward to writing with you.
Not Ready to Join Yet?
Start with The Groundwork — Free
The Groundwork: How to Build a Sustainable Poetry Practice
is a short, free, flexible online course you can access at home and on your mobile phone. In six bite-sized modules you’ll get expert practical advice and guidance to help you get started, write more productively, or get back to doing what you love.
With guidance on making time to write, starting points and inspiration, staying motivated, overcoming blocks, and more, this course aims to help you connect (or reconnect) with your own creative energy, focus, and practice. The course is hosted in Poetical Workshop. You can join The Groundwork for free.
