Word cures project

Word tonics

Project outline

What is it?

A mobile installation and shop for members of the public to receive a literary fix for whatever ails them. 

Literary word tonics would package and sell poetry and fiction as if it were medicine or cures (i.e. inie in empty pill capsules and jars). 

The prose and poetry would be written by members of Writers Who Talk. 

They should be organised/labelled according to theme or mood of the piece(s) ie prose or poetry for gratitude, resilience, courage, connection, calm.

Can you give me an example?

Check out the Poetry Pharmacy (www.poetrypharmacy.co.uk), in London and Bishop’s Castle, UK. The public can buy bottles of “pills”, which are actually poems contained inside pill casing. 

How would this look for WWT?

For WWT, I propose a combination of prose and poetry in gelatin pill capsules (size 000 is largest), medicine bottles and perhaps even plasters with poetry and prose written on them. 

The products would be presented like in a vintage apothecary, using a single shelf or vanity table that is light-weight and can easily be moved so that the installation can travel. 

Please see the mood board at the end of this page

Where would the pharmacy be located?

The installation could be launched at the Migration Festival in March 2025 and then temporarily housed in different locations around the country, eventually at the Rainboone of the libraries and in bookstores. 

Why WWT?

This project would give good visibility for WWT and the work of its members. At the same time, the project showcases how poetry and prose can be a powerful tool for good.

Main themes: 

1. Wounds of the Heart

• Focus: Emotional pain, heartbreak, grief, and loss.

• Purpose: Offer solace, nurture self-love, and guide the reader through healing.

• Example Poems/Stories: Comforting tales of recovery after loss, poems that explore love’s transformative power, or allegories about resilience.

• "Healing Tonic" Themes: Forgiveness, acceptance, closure, and self-compassion.

2. Shadows of the Soul

• Focus: Depression, despair, existential dread, or feelings of emptiness.

• Purpose: Rekindle hope, remind of purpose, and illuminate dark places.

• Example Poems/Stories: Uplifting narratives of personal triumph, poems that reflect beauty in small things, or fables about light breaking through darkness.

• "Healing Tonic" Themes: Hope, rebirth, gratitude, and connection.

3. Missed Connections (or craving connection)

• Focus: Loneliness, alienation, or feeling misunderstood.

• Purpose: Foster connection, empathy, and a sense of belonging.

• Example Poems/Stories: Stories about unlikely friendships, poems that celebrate diversity and community, or narratives that help readers see themselves in others.

• "Healing Tonic" Themes: Unity, empathy, and shared humanity.

4. Cracks in Courage

• Focus: Fear, self-doubt, and lack of confidence.

• Purpose: Inspire bravery, reinforce inner strength, and encourage action.

• Example Poems/Stories: Heroic journeys of self-discovery, motivational poems that call the reader to action, or parables of transformation.

• "Healing Tonic" Themes: Strength, perseverance, and boldness.

You can submit in 3 different length formats: 

1. Short form haikus or micro fiction (pills) 250 characters including spaces for one side,

2. Medium length poem or prose (Square bottles: fits a quarter of an A4 piece of paper) 1741 characters including spaces for one side including spaces.

3. Long poem or prose (heart bottles: fits a third of an A4 sheet vertical) 2099 characters including spaces for one side.

Title and author’s name form part of the word count.

If special formatting is required, for instance for poems, please check that it fits the column layout or quarter layout as this will alter how many characters that can be contained.

General submission guidelines

• Maximum 5 submissions per person. 

• Submissions must be in English and from members of Writers Who Talk asbl who paid their 2025 membership fee.

• The submission deadline is 10 February 2025 to allow selection and printing.

• Pieces should be completed and edited.

• Please note we cannot guarantee all submissions will be retained for the final project. However, we will do our best to include as many of them as possible. 

• All authors retain full rights over their work. If WWT makes a profit of more than €5/piece submitted, part of it will be redistributed to authors. Otherwise it will be invested in the next WWT project.

DEADLINE: 10 February 2025