A Guide to Poetry Open Mic Events
from a poet, reader and the host of Zhagaram's open mics and poetry readings
During the lockdown, one of my poems won a poetry contest and the winners were asked to read their poems on Instagram Live. I was so nervous to turn on my video and read the poem that I placed the phone camera on my table (showing everyone a black screen) and upon sensing my fear, the host kindly offered to read my poem herself. Fast forward two years, I’ve performed at several in person and virtual open mics/poetry readings and feel a lot more confident than that scared girl I was. Through this post, I’ll try to break down what an open mic/poetry reading is along with everything I wish I knew before each time I’ve taken part in these events.
An open mic is an event where people are welcome to sing, perform standup comedy or read their poems. These are usually not monitored and anyone is allowed to read, some might have registrations or poem checks but in its essence, an open mic is just that—the stage is open to anyone looking for a platform. Poetry readings on the other hand, are curated. A host selects poets either from a list of registrations or chooses them based on the event they are conducting. For the sake of this post, we will talk mainly about open mics but remember that this can apply to poetry readings too.
What do you get out of it?
1. Sharing Your Poetry
Performing at open mics are a great way to get your work out there regardless of your experience. If you’re an unpublished poet or an emerging poet currently published in a few lit mags, open mics provide a platform for your poem to be shared with an immediate audience. As long as you don’t post recordings on social media, you will still be able to submit and publish these poems with literary magazines, journals or presses.
If you already have a published poetry collection, open mics area great way to promote your book and get more people to read it. Readers will often feel intrigued or moved by your poem at a performance and a book is the best way for them to find more of your work.
2. Connections and Networking
That sounded awfully like something a techbro would write on his LinkedIn post. Regardless, performing at open mics helps you connect with poets in your region, paving the way for the formation of community. If you’re performing in front of a poet + non-poet audience, such events allow you to reach potential readers. As mentioned earlier, readers will often buy your book if a poem touched them and the possibilities of things going in your favour are very high at a poetry-induced space.
3. The Joy of Poetry and Confidence
The best and most important part about an open mic is perhaps the joy that comes with being able to read your poem in front of an audience. The act of writing poetry is often a solitary one but poetry thrives in community. Your first open mic will bring you out of your comfort zone. The more you perform, the more you will be comfortable with your own poetic voice and be in touch with your sense of rhythm.
You also get to actively engage and listen to other poets, all reading what they consider their best poems. This opens up your mind to the possibilities of what poetry can do and gives you a sense of the cultural ethos that you live in.
Now that we’ve seen what poetry open mics can do to further our journey as a poet, let’s look at some basic etiquettes to follow.
Basic Etiquettes
1. Be Ready
Keep your poem open and ready to read on your phone or notebook well in advance. If you begin searching for your poem in your notes app on the stage, you may look clumsy and it might stress you, affecting your performance. Having the poem ready to read can go a long way in terms of comfort and confidence, especially if you’re someone with stage fear.
2. Phone or Notebook?
This was all I thought about before attending my very first poetry reading. I chose a notebook at the end. However, I’ve noticed that most people prefer reading their poems from a mobile phone. The only thing you need to keep in mind is to have your phone on Do Not Disturb throughout so you’re not distracted by notifications. It’s rude if your phone starts ringing or too many notifications go off during another poet’s performance and it’s even worse if it happens when you are reading.
If you want to read from a notebook, make sure your venue has a mic stand. If you are expected to hold the microphone in your hand while reading, it will be difficult to turn the pages of your book (if your poem is longer than a page). In the case of a handheld mic, a phone is perhaps the better option.
3. Show Up and Stay
Stay back until the very end of the event. It is disrespectful towards the other poets if you leave mid-performance or worse, right after your performance is over. While you are seated, make sure you’re a good audience. Listen intently, clap or snap your fingers and show general encouragement based on the norm of the place you are visiting. Some poetry open mics prefer to be silent and in that case, you must respect that.
Staying back for a few minutes after the open mic or poetry reading is crucial. Consider this time as a great opportunity to connect with poets and to appreciate, compliment and engage in meaningful conversation.
Now onto some tips and tricks from my own personal experiences.
Tips and Tricks
Practise your poem thoroughly—focus on intonation, rhythm and volume. This will help you be more confident on the day of the open mic. Practice in front of a mirror, in front of a friend or family member. Most importantly, record yourself. This way, you can take a close look at how you sound, what your body is communicating and get a feel of what your performance might look like to the audience. This makes it easier for you to spot errors and make any necessary corrections on your own. It’ll also show your strengths, enabling you to retain them during your performance.
If you feel completely lost, watch slam poetry videos, poetry readings or recordings of past open mics. While it is true that slam poetry is a completely different mode of performance, it is a great place for inspiration.
Try to reach the venue before time so you can familiarise yourself with the surroundings and feel more comfortable with the space you will be reading your poem in. I once reached a reading about 15 minutes late (thanks Bengaluru traffic) and the jitters hadn’t left me even though I had a good 30 minutes left before my performance. I stammered all through my introduction and mispronounced words even though I had practised a good amount of times before. It just wasn’t my day and it probably had to do with me being late and putting myself in all that stress. Prioritise your calmness and confidence
Wear comfortable clothes. Take deep breaths before your performance. Drink water if you think it’ll help.
When you stand in front of the mic, perform a quick mic test by saying hello and introducing yourself. Keep it short though, so your poem has more time. This way you’ll know if there are any technical errors beforehand and can ask for assistance.
One very important thing I wanted to address was that while such events and spaces for poetry may seem like havens for poetry lovers, it comes with its risks. As a young woman living in India, I’ve had a few unpleasant experiences that involved inappropriate behaviour from an elder poet, which is sad because these are the people I’m expected to look up to. I won’t talk much about it and perhaps, that is another conversation altogether. I find the need to mention it because one of the main concerns my parents had when they saw me venturing into such events was the possibility of something like this happening.
I’m learning to navigate my space here despite such people. It doesn’t stop me from finding spaces and trying to make my name known and trying to get a page for my poems. What I’m trying to say is that while these events are important for the furthering of your poetic journey, please remember to be careful and get help if you ever need it. Always prioritise your safety.
I’ll end this post with a list of virtual open mics/poetry reading platforms that you could check out and participate in. This list is ongoing and will be updated from time to time. If you have any suggestions, make sure to leave them in the comments and I’ll update it here! I’m happy to share safe spaces for poetry with you all.
List of Events/ Organisations
1. Zhagaram Literary Magazine Open Mics
When: 12th October 2024 - Register Now
Held during every issue release and occasionally held, check Instagram/Twitter for updates
Where: Virtual
Fee: None
Perks: Poets who read during the open mics or even attend as an audience have the opportunity to avail Zhagaram’s golden ticket. Using this ticket you can receive free feedback on your poetry submission and/or an expedited response which is usually done with a nominal fee.
2. Young Poets Workshops
When: depends. Check their Instagram/Twitter or Discord for updates
Where: Virtual
Fee: None
Perks: If you’re a young poet between the ages of 13-22, the YPW discord server is a great place to meet poets of the same ages from all around the world. Their server is very active and has spaces for opportunities, resources, feedback, meaningful conversations and so much more.
3. Origin of Thought
When: First Monday of every month, 8 PM Eastern Time
Where: Virtual, on Instagram Live
Fee: None
Perks: A lovely opportunity, especially if you want to connect with readers who are on Instagram
4. Rewrite the Stars Magazine
When: depends. Check their Instagram/Twitter or Discord for updates
Where: Virtual
Fee: None
Perks: Read your poem at the event of an upcoming literary magazine with a wide audience.
 | A guest post by
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Thanks for sharing your insights - something that I haven't really considered, but am open to exploring more as my writing evolves!