Sophie Diver
Sophie Diver
Sophie Diver is a writer and poet from Nottingham, UK. She is the singer and lyricist of the post-punk band No Peeling. A BBC New Creative, her radio drama The Cupboard aired on BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2021. In 2023 she supported Brian Bilston’s sold‑out Nottingham Poetry Festival show. Her writing has appeared on Champyun Cloud’s Third Atomic Number, as well as in Dear Damsels and Ink, Sweat and Tears and she has been commissioned by the music retailer Rough Trade. During the mentor scheme, Sophie worked on her first poetry pamphlet with her mentor Clare Shaw.
Sophie's mentee journey
I entered the scheme with the intention to concentrate on the poems I’d already produced and tidy them into a pamphlet that introduced my work. Clare’s support went far beyond that.
Clare encouraged me to generate more work alongside editing existing poems. During our sessions, Clare took the time to talk through what I’d written, and I’ve come away with a much stronger grasp of how to approach my editing.
I found arranging my poems into an order most difficult. Clare helped me interrogate my work by highlighting recurring themes and placing poems alongside one another in ways that allowed them to complement and play off their neighbours. This culminated in a draft of my first poetry pamphlet Shared Kitchen.
Clare’s mentoring and encouragement has helped refine and improve my poetic voice. They recognised my quirky, surreal interpretation of the world before I truly understood it myself.
What's next?
I’m currently submitting Shared Kitchen to poetry publishers. The band I’m in, No Peeling, is having a busy few months as we release our second EP. With so much going on, I’m focusing on getting the work Clare helped me develop in front of the right publishers and reading as much as I can.
Links to websites or projects
Instagram sophiedwrites
Youtube sophiedwrites