JL Williams Poetry

Catherine Street and Continuum at Generator

So delighted to be working on a collaboration with artist and writer Catherine Street for the Continuum event happening on the 10th of November at Generator in Dundee, all details here. Come if you can! It features a number of amazing artists and I think it’s going to be really special.

San Diego Poetry Annual

How wonderful to receive in the post this year’s edition of the San Diego Poetry Annual with Juana Adcock’s gorgeous poem Malquisto right at the front, and my English translation of it on the next page. I’m officially a translator now! It was especially exciting seeing my bio in the back in Spanish. You can…… Continue reading San Diego Poetry Annual

No Rhymes, No Reason at the National Museum

I’m really excited to have been asked to read tomorrow night at the Museum Lates event at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. I’ll be reading between 9pm and 9.45pm, a new long poem about Catherine the Great and a Japanese sailor. Lots more on — hope to see you there.

Neu! Reekie! JL Williams Drawing by Artist Jenny Soep

Gorgeous drawing by the artist Jenny Soep who was at Neu! Reekie! at Jim Lambie’s Poetry Club in Glasgow when I read there recently. I love how she incorporates quotations from the poems into the drawing — super cool.

David Pollock on the Village Pub Theatre

‘It’s a rough and ready chance to enjoy work for what it is’ Published on Thursday 20 September 2012 03:48 David Pollock on the rise of village pub theatre. “It’s easy to moan about money,” says playwright James Ley, “but it’s important to have a ‘nothing comes from nothing’ attitude too.” To this end he…… Continue reading David Pollock on the Village Pub Theatre

Anatomy and Village Pub Theatre

I led a workshop for Anatomy this morning on Writing for Performance that went beautifully and was so pleased with the writing that came out of it. Thanks so much for those who came and took part, and to the wonderful Anatomy folks for asking me to be a part of it. Do check out…… Continue reading Anatomy and Village Pub Theatre

Interview with Poet Judy Brown on the SPL Podcast

My first SPL Podcast is now out; an interview at the Wordsworth Trust with the poet Judy Brown. Music by James Iremonger. Hope you enjoy.

Neu! Reekie!

What fun to read at Neu! Reekie! in Glasgow last night, at Jim Lambie’s beautiful new Poetry Club. Thanks to Michael and Kevin, and to Jim, and to the massive, super hip audience.

SPL Interview by Colin Waters with Ryan Van Winkle and JL Williams

New podcast up on the SPL website: SPL Interview by Colin Waters with Ryan Van Winkle and JL Williams.

New Writing Scotland and Gutter

Delighted to have received copies of New Writing Scotland and Gutter this week You can find a poem or two of mine in them, and so much great work by other writers. Enjoy!

The Village Pub Theatre – July

Getting really excited about this month’s Village Pub Theatre! There’s a social this evening, and readings of new work by Morna Pearson, James Ley, Colin Bell, Sam Siggs and myself on Friday and Saturday. Hope to see you there!

2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction Award

Delighted to find out that my entry for the 2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction competition was shortlisted. Somehow this makes me feel more justified for continuing to explore other forms as well as poetry, not that a writer should need justification for such a thing but it’s nice! I believe a new short play of…… Continue reading 2012 Unbound Press Flash Fiction Award

StAnza’s Digital Slam

Voting is now open on StAnza’s Digital Slam – I’ve been shortlisted, as have many other friends and wonderful poets, so do vote now!

New Events Post Up at the Scottish Poetry Library

My second post for the SPL is now up, hope you enjoy! Turkmen Poet Ak Welsapar Visit the Library

Independent Readings

I’m delighted to be reading at two events this week, both themed for the 4th of July. One is 10RED at the Persevere in Leith on Wednesday night, where I’m honoured to be reading Whitman, and one at the new Looking Glass Books on Friday night, where I’ll be reading my own poems about America,…… Continue reading Independent Readings

Gutter 07

Three of my poems accepted for the next issue of Gutter Magazine, launching this year at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Word on the street is it’s going to have a gold lame cover – fabulous!

IMAGO Scottish Poetry Library Poem of the Moment 7 June 2012

Imago, the poem from Condition of Fire selected by Roddy Lumsden for the Scottish Poetry Library Best Scottish Poems 2011 Anthology, featured as Poem of the Moment on the SPL Website, 7 June 2012. Exciting!

JL Williams reading at The Village Pub Theatre

I will be reading a short piece called CIRC tomorrow night (Thursday 14 June) at 8pm at The Village Pub in Leith as part of James Ley’s wonderful new project called ‘The Village Pub Theatre’. We enjoyed a marvellous reading of Colin Bell’s play Best Kept Small Town last night, and tonight there is work…… Continue reading JL Williams reading at The Village Pub Theatre

How To Perform Your Writing

This article by the lovely Kirsty Logan is now published – I contributed some quotations, as did the wonderful writer Kirstin Innes. Enjoy! How To Perform Your Writing

First Blog Post as Programme Manager at the Scottish Poetry Library

My first blog post at the Scottish Poetry Library went up last week. You can read it here.

From Glasgow to Saturn Issue 26

Have a poem in the latest edition of the beautifully edited and produced online journal From Glasgow to Saturn. You can download Issue 26 for free. Many thanks to the editors.

Best Scottish Poems 2011

Special Note: This poem will be featured on the front page of the Scottish Poetry Library website on 7th of June… Have a read that day if you wish. This year’s Scottish Poetry Library Anthology Best Scottish Poems 2011, edited by the marvellous Roddy Lumsden, is now out. I feel so privileged to have a…… Continue reading Best Scottish Poems 2011

Writing Out Loud

JL Williams and a group of wonderful writers reading at the Wee Red Bar on Friday 25th of May, hope to see you there! Writing Out Loud at The List and The Skinny

Opul – VERSECORE

Opul will be playing with Zorras and COWTSHTF on Friday, 4th of May at the Third Door – would be great to see you there! VERSECORE on Facebook VERSECORE 4th May 2012 at The Third Door Outlaws in the badlands ‘twixt poetry and music… Doors 8.00pm, Music starts at 8.30pm, £5/£4 concessions …… Continue reading Opul – VERSECORE

JL Williams – Programme Manager at the Scottish Poetry Library

I’m finishing up at the Traverse tomorrow, and will start as Programme Manager at the Scottish Poetry Library on the 1st of May. I hope to put on many events appealing to all those who love poetry, and even to those who don’t (yet)! It would be lovely to see you there soon. Please do…… Continue reading JL Williams – Programme Manager at the Scottish Poetry Library

JL Williams Up North

Enjoying the sun through the trees in Muir of Ord where we’ve come for the holiday weekend. Statuesque trees knock in wind gentle as lambs’ breath on a door of sky. JLW 2012

enLIGHTen Interview

Interview about my enLIGHTen experience up on their blog: enLIGHTen, in case you’d like a read. There’s a rather fine picture of a bagel included.

Vile He is, Vile He is Not

The very not-vile Mr Gareth K Vile not only recently hosted Opul on his wonderful radio show on The Vile Arts Radio Hour on subcity, but also wrote this very nice post on his blog about my work and an upcoming event: The Vile Blog. Ode to Daffodils Gold stars with tit-shaped mouths, you gurgle…… Continue reading Vile He is, Vile He is Not

StAnza 2012 – Alastair Cook’s Filmpoems

I’m delighted and honoured to have been asked to read my poem with Luca Nasciuti’s live electroacoustics as part of Alastair Cook’s Filmpoem event on March 16th at this year’s StAnza Festival. Hope to see you there if you can make it. We recently did a trial run of this at Alastair’s wonderful opening at…… Continue reading StAnza 2012 – Alastair Cook’s Filmpoems

Poetry @ the Ivory Reading for International Women’s Day

I’ve been asked to be one of the readers at Poetry at the Ivory’s special International Women’s Day event on the 14th of March, all details here: Poetry @ The Ivory 7.15pm for 7.30pm at the Ivory Hotel, Shawlands, Glasgow. I think the bill is going to be fabulous, and it should be a really…… Continue reading Poetry @ the Ivory Reading for International Women’s Day

From Glasgow to Saturn Reading Party 1st March

I’ve been asked to be one of the readers at the upcoming From Glasgow to Saturn reading party at the Anatomy Museum at the University of Glasgow on the 1st of March from 6pm-8pm. I believe it’s free and open to anyone who wants to come along. I believe Alan Bissett is reading, not sure…… Continue reading From Glasgow to Saturn Reading Party 1st March

enLIGHTen

I was recently commissioned to be one of the writers for the City of Literature and (G)Host City enLIGHTen project, celebrating Edinburgh’s literary history in a dazzling display of light. You can read more about it in this article in the Scotsman: Edinburgh’s New Town to celebrate literary history