Professional Development – How to survive submissions: Part two

The art of submissions (& how to survive them): Part two focuses on helping participants to navigate both acceptances and rejections––– having had over 775 submissions rejected – which included over 3000 poems – Simon Maddrell brings experience of how we can respond.

A key focus is self-care – especially important for the neurodiverse or those with past trauma – for both rejections and acceptances. Finally, we’ll look at all the ways you can work to improve rejected poems if we decide that is a solution.

This event is part 2/2. You can register for part one of this series here: Professional Development – The art of submissions: Part one

This event is in conjunction with the SoA’s Poetry and Spoken Word Group (PSWG).

Online Professional Development events – free for SoA Members

Not a member? Sign up here.

Programme

• Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Rose Hensher – Grants & Prizes Administrator and PSWG coordinator, SoA (3 mins)
• Presentation by Simon Maddrell (60 mins)
• Comfort Break (5 mins)
• Q&A with audience (20 mins)
• Summary and closing comments (2 mins)

Send us your questions

If you would like to send questions in advance, email RHensher@societyofauthors.org with ‘How to survive submissions’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance and answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.

The Line-up

Simon Maddrell

Simon Maddrell‘s poetry has appeared in Gutter, Magma, Poetry Wales, The London Magazine, The Rialto, Under the Radar and others. had seven poetry pamphlets published since 2020, and their Out-Spoken Press collection, lamping wild rabbits, was Highly Commended in the 2026 Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection.

Website: www.simonmaddrell.com | Instagram: @simonmaddrell | Facebook: @simonmaddrellpoetry | LinkedIn: simonmaddrell | Bluesky: simonmaddrell.bsky.social

About the Poetry and Spoken Word Group (PSWG)

The Poetry and Spoken Word Group is a professional community for poets and spoken word artists. We come together to discuss issues affecting poets and the spoken word community, offer advice and support, and raise the profile of poetry and performance.

The Group is run by an elected Committee and a professional coordinator from the SoA. We welcome new and existing SoA members. Please email  Rose Hensher and Natalie Thorpe (PSWG coordinators) if you would like to get involved and be added to our newsletter.

The current Committee are Dean Atta (Chair), Desree, Rosaline Callaghan, Sophie Dumont, Amanda Holiday, Simon Maddrell, Eric Ngalle Charles and Luke Palmer. Philip Gross is a coopted member of the Committee.

If you are not a member of the SoA yet, see our joining page for information about signing up. Don’t forget that poets and spoken word artists can use the discount code PSWG20 to get 20% of their first year of full-price membership.

Accessibility

• Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles
• If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org

Booking

SoA Members: Please use the ‘Register – SoA Members’ form below and provide your details, including your membership number. If you’re unsure of your SoA ID, please email info@societyofauthors.org.

Non-members: Choose one of the two ticket options below, complete the registration form, then fill out the billing info to finalise your payment.

For event or registration questions, email events@societyofauthors.org.

SoA Members – Free

Non-Members – £35