We turn poets into published poets, and turn published poets into even better and more frequently published poets!
The Master Bards Membership is Currently Open Again!!!
For A Limited Time!! Join Below!!
Every Month:
New Publishing Seminars, New Poetry Chapbook Challenges & More!!
New Publishing Seminars, New Poetry Chapbook Challenges & More!!
The Following Courses Includes In The Membership:
Each of these courses contains hours of detailed content about the topic at hand taught by our publishers at Local Gems Press and occasional guest experts!
Poetry Chapbook Challenges!
We run 10-12 Poetry Chapbook Challenges a year. They are very popular, and usually fill up fast. Poets who participate aim to write enough poetry during the challenge to produce a chapbook, and we offer printing options at the end of each challenge.
Members of the Master Bards get FREE registration to all the challenges!!
Members of the Master Bards get FREE registration to all the challenges!!
New eBooks!
Each month we expand our library of poetry eBooks! Whether these be poetry anthologies, prompt books, instructional materials or writings from Poets Laureate!
Enjoy Our Library of Courses, Challenges and Seminars!
Ready To Join The Master Bards Membership?
$25 Per Month
Click Below!!
Join The Membership!!!
Instant Access To Over $1000 Worth of Content!
What Do People Think About The Membership Content?
See Some Feedback Below!
I have had the privilege of attending several of Local Gems poetry, writing, and publishing challenges, seminars and workshops and found them incredibly helpful. The poetry challenges are excellent for me as I am a goal setter and having the structure around the contests has helped me write and move forward several chapbooks of poetry. The informative presentations, seminars and courses I have attended helped me grow my own online presence and the outreach of my work. Being on Amazon has also been a plus, and I owe that to Local Gems. They have helped me immensely and I am very grateful they are a partner in my work.
~ Sandra L. Place
~ Sandra L. Place
I attended a seminar a few months ago (I watched the recording afterward) and it truly helped make an aspiring published writer like me, feel more at ease and ‘seen’. Pursuing publication can feel intimidating. This seminar made it less overwhelming and no question was deemed a silly one. Appreciate the degree of humility and understanding shared by the facilitators’
-Margaret schwartz
-Margaret schwartz
A friend referred me to the Local Gems haiku challenge three years ago and there was an was a chance to have a chapbook published. I’ve taken almost every challenge since and enjoyed them. Meeting the requirements of a challenge makes you test yourself, and gives you a sense of accomplishment. I’ve learned about Japanese poetic forms and learned to crystallize my thoughts to write haiku. I’ve tried forms I’d never heard of and would never have attempted on my own.
~ Glenda Walker-Hobbs
~ Glenda Walker-Hobbs
I have participated in many Local Gems Poetry Challenges. They are absolutely wonderful and inspiring. The challenges have given me the structure I needed to write poems I may have never written without the encouragement and facilitation that the challenges offer. James P. Wagner’s organizational skills and leadership have provided me with just what I needed to delve deeper into writing poetry. It’s also a lot of fun. You won’t regret participating.
~ Colleen Kane-Dacri
Great seminars! Lots of "real world" examples covering a wide-range of writing formats. Presented in a clear and engaging way.
~ Jeff Bettger
The Seminars on "Putting Together a Poetry Book", "Getting Your Writing Published". and "Art of the Book Launch" were extremely informative and included a question and answer session. The "Poetry Book Master Class" on finding a Publisher was personalized and geared to your individual piece of writing. All in all, every Seminar, Chapbook Challenge, or Class was packed full of great information and helpful to the poet and writer in pursuing publication.
~ Terri Donahue
~ Colleen Kane-Dacri
Great seminars! Lots of "real world" examples covering a wide-range of writing formats. Presented in a clear and engaging way.
~ Jeff Bettger
The Seminars on "Putting Together a Poetry Book", "Getting Your Writing Published". and "Art of the Book Launch" were extremely informative and included a question and answer session. The "Poetry Book Master Class" on finding a Publisher was personalized and geared to your individual piece of writing. All in all, every Seminar, Chapbook Challenge, or Class was packed full of great information and helpful to the poet and writer in pursuing publication.
~ Terri Donahue