University of Glasgow

The Imperative Commands: The Poetics of Imperatives & Assertions in Everyday Language

Academic History 

09/2013-Present      PhD candidate – Creative Writing/English Lit –University of Glasgow

10/2001-12/2003    MPhil (distinction) – Creative Writing – University of Glasgow

10/1992-06/1996    2:1 MA (hons) – Classical Studies – University of St Andrews

University Supervisors:

Dr Jane Goldman

Dr Vassiliki Kolocotroni

Research Interests:

Found poetry/Conceptual Writing/Literary Theory/Marketing Language/Propaganda

Scholarships/ Awards/ Publications:

Books: Alert State is Heightened (Sad Press 2014); Editorial (Very Small Kitchen Mar 2012): e-book from tippex installation; STUFF (Whirlpool Press, May 2011): found pieces; selections & dissections (Otoliths Press, January 2010): a collection of visual poetry.

Chapbooks/Broadsheet: Slippage/Pigsclap (If a Leaf Falls Press, 2016); ME (P.O.W. Series, Jan 2014); Junk mail: two tippex pieces (If P then Q, Nov 2012); this is Visual Poetry (Chapbook Publishing, April 2010): short colour chapbook of visual poetry; Office Gnomics (Acton Press 2006) an erasure of an ergonomic information booklet; issue of Poetry Scotland 39, dedicated to my own work (June 05); horoscope (artist’s book by Colin Clark).

Anthologies: Umbrellas of Edinburgh (Forthcoming: Freight Books, Autumn 2016); The New Concrete (Hayward Publishing, 2015); Be the First to Like This (Vagabond Voices, 2014); Viersomes 002 (Veer Press 2014); The Other Room Anthology (Other Room Press 2012); Fugitive Bullets (One O’Clock Gun Press 2009); The Life & Times of Riddle’s Court (WEA 2008); The Knuckle End (Freight Design, 2003); The Human Machine (Glasgow University Anthology, 2002); Five Leaves Left (Neruda Press, 1997).

Website Features: Archive of the Now: poetic profile; Jacket2: feature on ShellSuit Massacre; alphabet sequence on Otoliths 20; two features on my work at experimental poetry website www.logolalia.com: 13 poems on the Minimalist Concrete Poetry page & an alphabet sequence alphabits.

Magazines and Webzines: anything anymore anywhere 2, 3; blackbox manifold 1 & 6;  www.blazevox.org/061-nm.pdf; Chapman 106; Coldcoffeex 8, 13; Cutting Teeth, 12 and 17; datableed 1, dirt #3; The Eildon Tree; eratio; Groundswell; Gutter 1, 13, 14; Haiku Quarterly27/28; Half Circle IV, The Herald; Lallans 58; LIT, Local Tongue, Moria; New Writing Scotland 19; Nomad; Nerve 3; Northwords 28; One Less; Otoliths  4, 10, 17, 20, 28; Poetry Scotland, 5, 13 and 19; Product 4; The Red Wheelbarrow; Saint Elizabeth Street; Scree 2, 3, 6; sleeping fish 0.875; Sous les Pavés 5/6; Spoke (Audio CD on Bletherink); Underword 4; xStream, zarf 1.

Group Exhibitions/Curated Exhibitions:

•  Palimpsest: co-curator of exhibition, MANY Studios, Glasgow, October 2016
• Another Athens: co-curator of collaborative exhibition: Interview Room 11, November 2014
• The Written Image: poet & printmaker collaboration: Edinburgh Printmakers, Nov-Dec 2013
• thetextisthetext: co-curator of a mash up of visual poetry & text art: Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh, October 2011
• Poetry Beyond Text: Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, November 2011
• Poetry Beyond Text: Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, May 2011
• VISPO! Blends & bridges: an international survey of visual poetry; Cleveland, April 2006
• MPhil graduation show (various pieces) as part of the Merchant City Festival in Glasgow, May 2003

Conferences/festivals:

•  Outside-in / Inside-out: co-organiser of new 5 day poetry festival, including two exhibitions, several performances & symposium: Glasgow, October 2016
• A68, Impact8, Dundee, Sep 2013: Book/print collaboration with artists David Faithfull & Jane Hyslop
•  ArtWorks Scotland Annual Event, Macrobert, Stirling, October 2011: Presenter, panellist & workshop leader at the first event for ArtWorks Scotland, aimed at artists working in participatory settings
•  ConVersify, Postgraduate Experimental Poetics Conference, Edinburgh University, September 2011: One of three keynote speakers at two-day postgraduate conference on experimental poetics
•  Write Now, Creative Writing Conference, Strathclyde University, June 2011: Presented a paper on found poetry & panellist
•  Write to the Point, Creative Writing Conference, Glasgow University, June, 2004: Co-organiser of Scotland’s first creative writing conference, as well as panellist.

Contact details:

Email: n.melville.1@research.gla.ac.uk

First published: 1 October 2014