PIG UPDATE #21
23rd of November 2025
Only four more weeks until Christmas, only five more weeks until the end of the year. Feeling like your running out of time on holiday prep, or last year's New Year's resolution to get your poetry out into the world? Fear not. PIG has got you covered. Here are plenty of opportunities to read your poems to new audiences and get them published, plus an exclusive gift guide to treat fellow poets and writers (or yourself) to something special this holiday season.
Events (24 November to 7 December 2025)
Your poetic week kicks off around lunchtime on Monday, 24 November at the University Chapel (or on Zoom, if you prefer). Writer and theologian Liz MacWhirter will join the UofG Creative Writing team for a Creative Conversation around her latest poetry pamphlet Blue: A Lament for the Sea. In the evening, some pretty tough choices await you. Would you rather attend: (1) a relaxed Open Mic night with an excellent beer selection at Inn Deep, (2) a curated night of hybrid and prose poetry with a sprinkle of poetry karaoke at Spam Press' AFK#7 at the Doublet, or (3) a spellbinding mix of ambient music and poetry with Inside Voices at The Rum Shack? Told you it's gonna be a tough one...
On Tuesday, 25 November is the debut night of the brand new Open Mic night at the Drake: The Midnight Verse is promising a new spoken word, poetry, music and storytelling open stage with a twist: each night is recorded live and released as a podcast every month. Intrigued? Be there for 8pm.
The Poetry Experiment is back for the monthly open mic night at the Alchemy Experiment on Byres Road on Wednesday (26 November). Remember: spaces are always limited, so make sure you get your ticket in advance. Hillhead Bookclub is also opening its doors for your weekly dose of poetry at the Poet's Corner Open Mic. Each week, there's a different theme, so make sure to check the organiser's socials ahead of time. Meanwhile, at the Bungalow in Paisley, The StoryTree Zine is celebrating the publication of its first issue. The night will include performances from many contributors including, Tere Bertucci, Eilidh Catherine, Saint Verity, Molly Void and India de Bono.
Thursday, 27 November offers two book launch events across the city: Broken Sleep Press is celebrating the release of The Indigo Hours with readings by Maria Sledmere and Leo Bussi at the A_Place Gallery on Bath Street. Simultaneously, the Battlefield Writers Collective is taking over Mount Florida Books on the Southside for a launch event of their new anthology Glasgow Tales. If you are a student, you may also want to consider the new writing sessions at Strathclyde uni: Creative Corner is aimed at bringing together students from across Glasgow's uni's for engaging writing sessions. There are various sessions at different times across November and December.
The third (and final) edition of the Second Chance Fringe is happening on Friday, 28 November at Theatre 118 in Merchant City. The night will include India de Bono's show For the Children of Circumstance as well as Ross Wilcock's Gay Disabled Vegan. The Kelvingrove Writers group is running a launch event and fundraiser at the House Arts Collective near St George's Cross the same evening. Pop by to see and hear the work of writers and artists included in the group's first anthology, and support the Sameer Project which offers Palestinian-led mutual aid in Gaza.
The new month starts at the Old Toll Bar in Cessnock: Candlelight Poetry is back on Monday, 1 December with its monthly open mic at one of Glasgow's oldest Victorian pub gems.
The poetry programme starts early on Tuesday, 2 December with the Open Book Creative Writing Session at Glasgow Women's Library from 10:30am. In the evening, why not attend the open mic night run by Crisp Packet poetry at the Vic Cafe and Bar in Garnethill? Or join the special night dedicated to celebrating Scots language poet Sheila Templeton at Avant Garde in Merchant City? You'd rather stay at home in your pyjamas? I have just the thing for you! Poet Laurie Bolger is presenting an online poetry event including some open mic slots and a special reading by Liz Berry: Poetry in Pyjamas starts at 8pm.
Following a last-minute cancellation, the launch event for Vicki Husband's latest poetry book Glasgoscopy is finally going ahead on Wednesday, 3 December at the Alchemy Experiment. In addition to readings from the book, Vicki will also chat to Dr. Gillean McDougall about the process of writing the new work. Naturally, the weekly Poet's Corner open mic at Hillhead Bookclub is also on; and if you fancy a stay-at-home alternative, you can join Kim Moore for her online reading and open mic series 'Go to the poets, they will speak to thee'. This month, she will be joined by Sarah Howe. Tickets are £7.
Thursday, 4 December is all about your own creative practice. You are invited to join the regular hybrid writing group Dove Cottage Poets organised by Wordsworth Grasmere. The informal session starts at 2pm. Or pop along to the next iteration of the Creative Corner at Strathclyde uni from 5:30pm.
The final event of the week is Scowth's Festive Special on Sunday, 7 December. Keeks Mc is creating some special winter cheer with a cosy and joy-filled afternoon at Matcha Man Tearoom in Anniesland. Special guests include Wanderlust Women Poets, World poetry slam champion Biff as well as Gabriela Michele and Tania Silva. Be there by 2pm.
Opportunities
Today's pick from among the long list of opportunities currently on the PIG website:
The international literary magazine The Hemlock Journal is currently accepting submissions for its winter issue. Send in up to 3 poems until 30 November.
The small press and magazine Variant Literature from the US, is also open for submissions for its upcoming winter issue. The publisher offers $10 per accepted poem. So consider give it a go. The deadline is 4 December.
The brand new local publisher Carrier Bag Press still accepts contributions to its new publication 'Form and Content'. They are interested in weird and wonderful short writings that play in the tension between form and content. The publication will have a run of 100 copies and will take the form of a fold out large format poster. Sounds like something you'd like to contribute to? The deadline is 5 December.
Open until 7 December is the submission window for Puck Press's new quarterly zine of poetry, short fiction, photography and visual art. The theme for the issue is 'changes' - check out the call which also includes a playlist of songs to match the theme!
Fourteen Poems are currently also seeking submissions. The LGBTQ+ publisher is putting together an new anthology called Home on the Range: Poems of the Queer Pastoral and is looking for poems about queerness and nature. The deadline is 15 December.
PIG Spotlight
This section is designed to shine a spotlight on a particular website, organisation or feature. For each Update, I'll pick something new - either because it is plain awesome or because it's new or really topical.
With every screen and billboard around us screaming about Black Friday deals and reminding us about what little time there is left to buy presents for our loved ones, I thought it might be fun to do a little poetry gift guide. Maybe you are looking for the perfect present for your fellow poet, or maybe you'd just like to treat yourself. Here are a few ideas:
Magazine subscriptions: why not give a year's worth of Gutter, Magma, The Rialto or any of the smaller journals and magazines?
Book subscriptions: some really lovely poetry book subscriptions are available from the Poetry Book Society and the National Theatre shop. Faber also offer different subscriptions for anyone keen to get into reading poetry more regularly. If you are more open-minded about the type of books you get, you could also consider the Good Press subscriptions which include a broader range of books and zines.
Books instead of cards: Candlesticks Press offers a dedicated pamphlet range that are designed as little gifts for any occasion. You can get the whole range of them via the publisher's website or through the shop of the Scottish Poetry Library.
Poetry prints: speaking of the SPL's shop - here you can find a lovely selection of poetry prints created by Robert Smail's Printing Works. The prints are all limited edition and are currently half price!
Memberships: consider a (gift) membership in the Poetry Society which offers great benefits and includes a subscription of the Poetry Review. Stanza Poetry Festival also offers special perks for friends and supporters (and you are helping fund a brilliant event). Naturally, it also pays to become a member of St Mungo's Mirrorball and City of Poets. The latter is even free!
Books for Writers: Mslexia has recently released the 5th Edition of their Indie Press Guide - a valuable resource for any poet and writer. Or have a look around the Inpress shop which has more recommendations on books for writers.
Games: encourage some (word) play and silliness with things like the Magnetic Poetry Kits, the Paint Chip Poetry game or the Haikubes set. The Literary Gift Company is a treasure trove of all kinds of silly games as well as homeware and fashion accessories.
Notebooks: I am a massive fan of ReBound Books - a project run by the charity L'Arche Brecon which turns old books into notebooks. Each book is unique and made by hand. If you prefer a bit more structure to your scribbling, maybe opt for the One Poem a Day journal.
But no matter what you end up gifting: try to support local and independent businesses and avoid Amazon and its ilk as much as possible. If you wonder why, check out this great article on Ethical Consumer and have a look at their recommendations, particularly on where to buy books.
PIG's Poetry Pick
Winter solstice might still be a month away, but as the days are getting darker and shorter and the weather generally a little more miserable, this poem by Liz Lochhead is a lovely one to remember.
In the Mid-Midwinter
By Liz Lochhead
after John Donne’s ‘A Nocturnal on St Lucy’s Day’
At midday on the year’s midnight
into my mind came
I saw the new moon late yestreen
wi the auld moon in her airms
though, no,
there is no moon of course –
there’s nothing very much of anything to speak of
in the sky except a gey dreich greyness
rain-laden over Glasgow and today
there is the very least of even this for us to get
but
the light comes back
the light always comes back
and this begins tomorrow with
however many minutes more of sun and serotonin.
Meanwhile
there will be the winter moon for us to love the longest,
fat in the frosty sky among the sharpest stars,
and lines of old songs we can’t remember
why we know
or when first we heard them
will aye come back
once in a blue moon to us
unbidden
and bless us with their long-travelled light.
via the Scottish Poetry Library.
That's it from me today. See you in two weeks!
Love,
Annie