Join for advice and tips on writing and creativity, and stay for reflections of life as an artist. You'll receive succinct weekly emails on the craft of writing and beyond, and exclusive creative updates on my own projects as well as arts opportunities.
Your voice is needed
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Last Saturday was the debut of Poetry For Justice, and I first want to thank everyone who attended, and everyone who has helped along the way. The event taught me innumerable things, about event production and coordination, and also about myself. One of the lessons that stood out, was understanding the power of community, and more pertinently the unity it brings. The evening was dedicated to social justice and art, and the story and case of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The key intention behind everything, was to build awareness, uplift, educate, and signpost to reliable sources. But it's one thing having a meeting and determining these goals, and another seeing them unfold in practice before your very eyes, and by your own hand. What I realised, Reader, is that community is the root of all change. And if we can spread a message to enough people, there will undoubtedly be a shift in the tectonic plates of fortune. And if we are sincere and organised in articulating a message, it will travel further than a random, emotional blurt ever will. As a creative person, and maybe even a writer, you have the ability already to create change, because words hold infinite potential, if you learn how to use them. They are tools that you can use to express, not just for the sake of art, but also for the sake of life. So build your communities, spread your messages worth sharing, because between Poetry For Justice and my recent TEDx poetry set, I've been reminded once again, just how impactful and important speaking up and sharing our voices really is. Creative UpdateTwo big projects have been completed this summer. My first event as a producer/curator/solo-practitioner, and my closing set for TEDxWolverhampton. As we move into the rest of the year, a new set of slowly forming projects will be bubbling beneath the surface, and I can't wait to see how they shape up. One thing's for sure... Poetry For Justice will not be my first and only event, and it will be a pleasure having you on board for the next one. Upcoming OpportuntiesBad Betty Press are open for submissions for new full-length poetry collections from anywhere in the world, for publication in 2028. Find out more below. SUBMISSION WINDOW: 1ST-31ST JULY
Hanging Loose Press is a New York-based press that publishes poetry and fiction, and for over fifty years its publications have never left print. They're open for magazine submissions for all writers, including international writers, and champion marginalised voices in mainstream publishing. Find out more below.
Catch Me NextI'll be working in the background for the next month or so so I will not have many public appearances on stage. I am free if you want to drop me a line, though! Thanks for reading this week, as always. Stay safe, stay well, and stay creative, Bilal Psyche Akram |
The Writer's Psyche
Join for advice and tips on writing and creativity, and stay for reflections of life as an artist. You'll receive succinct weekly emails on the craft of writing and beyond, and exclusive creative updates on my own projects as well as arts opportunities.
A few weeks ago, I discussed how our voices can be used to create real world change, and I echo that sentiment in today's broadcast. More potently around the idea of social justice being enacted through creative expression. We all have gifts, and sharing them with the world can have a genuine impact on others. My gift lies in writing and creativity, and I try to use it to the best of my ability, to bring awareness to different issues, that many people may overlook. For creative people, using...
You don't need to be everywhere all the time. You just need to be in a handful of the right spaces, and know when and where to make an appearance. Often in arts culture and communities, where so much is going on, you feel obligated to attend every event. And while I'm not saying you shouldn't do this, how much of it actually benefits you? What is the point if the outcome is burnout, when you could've targeted select events, where you'd be at your full capacity? This is a common dilemma for...
I've recently started a more intense gym routine, which is toughening my mental fortitude as much as my physical stamina, and I realised the value of pushing past one's limits, and that suprisingly enough, I succeeded every time. Part of this was due to having a strong duo of gym partners, and part of it was from knowing that this type of work is necessary to get to that next level, not just in the gym, but outside of it as well. There are many lessons I've learned so far from this new...