The submission window for Oxford Is My Home: the Lockdown Edition closes on 11th May. So if you’d like to be a part of this zine, where we capture all the perspectives on living through corona, then here’s all the ways you can get work to us.

Email us at oxfordismyhomezine@gmail.com

Ring us on 0800 0096754 and leave a message and we’ll transcribe your story or poem

Post your creations to Oxford is My Home, Makespace Oxford, 1 Aristotle Lane, OX2 6TP

Need some more inspiration?

I’ve created some writing prompts to help get the creative sparks flying. Check them out on the Oxford Poetry Library website – https://oxfordpoetrylibrary.wordpress.com/news-events/ where you’ll also find all the details for how you can send your work.

Here’s my favourite:

A Strange Conversation

For strange times, why not try a nonsense poem. Imagine you were interviewing a stranger about what it is like to live in self-isolation. Write down all the questions you might like to ask them. Then answer them yourself!

1. Write down a list of 8 questions which you could ask someone to understand their experience of lockdown (we have some ideas to start you off).
2. Answer each questions using exactly 8 words. If you fancy more of a challenge, rhyme your answers with an A, B, A, B, C, D, C, D structure.
3. Now mix up each question with a different answer from your list.
4. You can also try a different version where you remove all of the questions, and shape your poem just from the answers.

If you are with someone else you can also try this version.

1. Each person writes the 8 questions they would like to ask.
2. Swap your pages and answer the other person’s question using exactly 8 words.
3. Then mix all the questions and answers up to create two zany poems.