Copland Smith
BIOGRAPHY
- always small case, once a mathematician, is a poet, songwriter, playwright, essayist, Guardian letter-writer and writing teacher. Born in Liverpool 1953. Has lived in Wallasey, N Wales, Nigeria, Northants, Suffolk, Dorset and now Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester. He has 4 daughters.
He is currently writing a book called The 42 rules of writing. Rule 42 is Ignore all earlier rules.
(Portrait by Maunagh Kelly)
WEBSITE
GENRE
Poetry, Short Stories, Novels, Plays, Non-Fiction, Songwriting.
PUBLICATIONS | PERFORMANCE HISTORY
Poetry Many poetry prizes, including twice a runner-up in The National Poetry Competition. Poems in Ambit, Outposts, North, Rialto, Orbis, The Cricketer.
First collection; one-eyed seller of garlic, was published in 1994.
Many performances (Manchester Poets, Creatures of the Night, Frog&Bucket, Pennine Ink, I*D Books (N Wales), Preston Litfest, Poetry&Players (Whitworth Gallery)... Many appearances on Radio Manchester, either reading poems or as a poetry
WORKSHOP | READINGS EXPERIENCE","REFERENCE/S
- Taught poetry for A level English, City College 1981-1994
- Creative writing workshops:-
- attended Manchester Poets and Man Uni workshops 1986-1990
- taught for Man Uni 1995-2000
- taught for WEA 1995-2004
- run my own workshop
REFERENCE/S
Dr Christopher Woods, 103 Holcombe Old Rd, Ramsbottom, BL8 4NF. Steven Waling, flat 1A, 17 Mauldeth Rd, Manchester, M20 9NE. City College Manchester, Sale Road, Northenden Manchester, M23 0DD. University of Manchester, Centre for Continuing Education, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.
GROUP SIZE PREFERENCE
Less than 20
GROUP AGE PREFERENCE
Any
WORKING LANGUAGE/S
English
AREA/S PREPARED TO TRAVEL
Anywhere
OTHER INFORMATION
A particular specialism can be comparison of different writing genres or styles. I mix serious and funny, song and speech, and the differences in language between these uses fascinates me.
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