Here’s the rules we use in Say Owt Slams.  It may seem a bit much but really we are all mega relaxed, any questions give us a shout:

• The running order is chosen at random before doors.
• You will be told the running order before we start if you’re around.
• Each poet gets 3 minutes.
• The time starts from the first thing you say on stage.
• You get a point deducted for each 5 seconds you go over the 3 minutes.
• 4 minutes is your limit, hit that and afraid we have to stop you!
• 5 judges are chosen from the audience, who give a score out of 10.
• The top 5 scorers go through to a second round.
• The winner from the 2nd round is crowned SOS champ!
• Therefore it’s best to have at least 2 poems ready, and a 3rd in the bag if you win!
• Totally fine to read from the page.
• Props are OK, music isn’t.
• If you have any heavy content you think requires a Trigger Warning or Content Note, let us know in advance.
• No punching down:  No sexism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia, racism or classism*.

*by classism we mean attacking/patronising the working class.  Punching upwards is totally fine by us.

Knowing your poem by heart doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll automatically win the slam, but if you do want to learn your piece here’s some advice.  Some might work for you, some might not:

• Practise the poem out loud.
• When at work, on the bus, sitting on the toilet just have a run through in your head.
• Break the poem down into manageable chunks, whether that’s in verses or working around a repeated line.  Sometimes this is useful if each section is on a separate page.
• Cement the poem’s imagery as visuals in your head.
• Record yourself performing the piece and listen back.
• Walk around while learning, keep on your feet.
• Pin the poem around the house, on cupboard doors, beside light switches and on your pillow.
• Nuts are good brain food.  Also, drink lots of water.  Works for writing too.
• Rehearse in front of a mirror, or with a friend.
• Rewrite the poem by hand.
• While writing (or rewriting) the poem, keep speaking it outloud.
• If it's a story, think about the events of what happens in the poem.
• Trust your brain.  If something just isn't sticking, maybe it needs editing?
• Go and perform the poem at open mics.  There’s a load going on in York, plus we have special guests from across the UK coming to run them too:  http://www.sayowt.co.uk/our-friends.html

 
If all else fails and you can’t learn your poem, or think it works better read from the page, Henry has written a blog about using your page as a prop:  http://henryrabypunkpoetry.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/2016-blog-21-page-against-machine.html

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