Talks and Workshops

Isabelle Kenyon is a multi-talented speaker who has shared her expertise with educational institutions, inspiring students of all ages. Her engaging sessions cover a diverse range of topics, each tailored to captivate and empower her audience.

For younger learners, Kenyon's "Create an Environmental Slam Poem" workshop ignites their creative spark while fostering environmental awareness. Through interactive exercises, students aged 11-16 learn to craft powerful slam poems, honing their writing skills while exploring ecological themes.

Addressing the aspirations of older students, Kenyon's "Get into Publishing" careers talk provides invaluable insights into the publishing industry. Tailored for ages 16-18 and university students, this session demystifies the publishing world, offering practical advice and strategies for breaking into this competitive field.

Transitioning to the professional realm, Kenyon's "Marketing for Authors" seminar equips writers with the essential tools for effective branding and book marketing. This comprehensive workshop delves into the intricacies of author platforms, promotional strategies, and audience engagement, empowering attendees to navigate the ever-evolving publishing landscape successfully.

Additionally, Kenyon's presence at careers fairs has inspired countless students, offering guidance and encouragement as they explore their future paths. Her approachable demeanour and wealth of knowledge make her a sought-after speaker, capable of igniting passion and providing valuable insights across diverse educational settings.

University Visits:

Enrich your students' experience with a industry expert visit! I am an experienced workshop leader and I feel passionate about sharing practical skills and information about the book industry with English and Creative Writing Students. Ask about my current two hour talks or get in touch for a more bespoke talk for your year group.

I recently wrote an article for The Bookseller on my experience at Arts University Bournemouth which you can read here, which also takes a look at how and why Universities should work with independent publishers and freelancers within the book industry: "In the current climate of Arts university courses being classed as 'low value' (see Sheffield Hallam University, whereby English literature has been removed from their offerings 'because graduates struggle to get highly paid jobs'), it seems more important that independent publishers and freelancers work with universities to facilitate open conversations with their English and Creative Writing students."

Get in touch:

isabellekenyon {@] hotmail DOT co DOT uk

"Thoroughly impressed with Isabelle's talk to third year Creative Writing students at AUB. Clear, professional and packed full of valuable, practical information for life beyond university. We'll be inviting Isabelle back for future sessions!"

- Dr James Cole, Course Leader,

Creative Writing at AUB

"What an incredible two hours spent in your company! Thanks so much for this morning - the students got so much out of the session. And we spent the afternoon diligently researching various writing opportunities."

- Sarah Cleave, Lecturer in Publishing,

Manchester Metropolitan University

School and College Visits

I am a Manchester-based publisher with a background in Drama facilitation and Arts Marketing. I feel very passionate about engaging young people in creative writing and especially poetry, because I feel that poetry can get a bad rep! I'm keen to both challenge and excite young people and inspire them to put pen to paper.

"Thank you again for today's excellent talk - we all learnt a lot and it will certainly help our students as they consider what their career paths might be. You're a great speaker and the level was perfect for the audience."

- Joana Soliva, Loreto College

Feedback from a recent visit to The King's School:

"Isabelle delivered a 25-minute presentation to two separate groups of Year 8 pupils (12/13 years old), each of around 65 in number. This consisted of a very attractive and highly engaging PowerPoint for one talk, whilst the absence of a projector necessitated the other being delivered entirely by Isabelle at the front with handouts of poems. The presentations, and Isabelle's work in general, were extremely impressive with some really strong messages about poetry, about the environment but also about sheer doggedness and making a success out of yourself at such a young age!

She spoke in a very confident manner, perfectly pitched at the age group with humour, in spite of the very serious message, discussing the creation of 'found' poetry and poetry based on scientific articles, with reference to a number of examples. The pupils and staff enjoyed the talk immensely.We would be delighted to have Isabelle back into school next year."

- Richard Kellett, Head of English, The King’s School Macclesfield

I would be delighted if you would like me to visit your school to do either a talk or a workshop, to any age group. To organise this and discuss details please email Isabelle Kenyon: isabellekenyon@hotmail.co.uk