CUT TO THE BONEA Broken Spine Poetry Workshop with Alan Parry
Sunday 7 December | 14:00–17:00 GMT | Online via Zoom
This isn’t trimming 10% because an editor told you to. Cut to the Bone is a radical act of poetic care—editing as elevation, not subtraction. It’s about slicing away the fat, finding the fire, and putting the raw heart of your poem front and centre.
Led by Alan Parry—poet, editor, indie publisher, and founder of The Broken Spine—this workshop cuts through the waffle and gets to the truth. Alan’s work has landed in international journals, his novella Peeling Apples was published by Dark Winter Lit, and he’s edited acclaimed poets including Lucy Heuschen, Damien B Donnelly, Karen Pierce Gonzalez, and Casey Bailey.
This is the third run of Cut to the Bone, part of a proven, evolving series that consistently delivers results:
- 100% of poets said they felt supported and included
- 100% rated the facilitation positively
- 100% would recommend these workshops to others
- 100% experienced growth in their writing
- 100% left with new tools to apply
- 100% said they’d do it again
Here’s what past workshop attendees say:
“Permission to write fearlessly about things I’d never written about.” — Paul Short“Packed full of useful content and delivered in an inclusive, friendly, and practical way. A high-value toolbox for editing poetry.” — Debbie Ross“I felt safe, seen, and ready to take risks. That’s rare.” — Anneka Chambers“The balance of theory, practice, and discussion was spot on. 3 hours flew by.” — Chris Partridge“It surprised me that I could fictionalise a piece in poetry. I was pushed out of my comfort zone in the best way.” — Philippa Ramsden
In three hours, you’ll:
- Identify the lifeblood of your poem—the lines that land and the ones that drag
- Learn the difference between clarity and over-explaining
- Use fragmentation, breath work, and syntactic disruption to craft poems that stay with your reader
- Build a revision practice rooted in craft, not guesswork
Whether your work’s headed for print or performance, this workshop will challenge, refine, and transform it.
Early bird tickets are now available—secure yours in advance and save. Spaces are limited.
