Writers Forum was a small publisher, workshop and writers’ network established by Bob Cobbing. The roots of Writers Forum were in the 1954 arts organization Group H, and the And magazine that Cobbing edited. The writers’ branch of Group H was called Writers Forum. In 1963 a press with the publishing imprint “Writers Forum” was begun and administered by Cobbing, John Rowan, and Jeff Nuttall. Between 1963 and 2002 Writers’ Forum published more than one thousand pamphlets and books including works by Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, and P. J. O’Rourke, as well as a wide range of British Poetry Revival modernist poets, such as Eric Mottram, Bill Griffiths, Geraldine Monk, Maggie O’Sullivan, Paula Claire, and Sean Bonney. While publishing was integral to the Cobbing-led workshop, it also provided an opportunity for poets to read their works in a supportive and non-critical environment.
Reference consulted: Bob Cobbing & Writers Forum, edited by Peter Mayer. Published as Ceolfrith 26, October 1974 (ref. Mayer)
Check List of Writers Forum publications:
1. AND, No. 1, edited by Bob Cobbing and Mary Levien
London: Hendon Arts Together, July 1954
(Mayer 1)
2. POEMS BY TWELVE MEMBERS OF WRITERS’ FORUM, edited by Bob Cobbing and John Rowan
London: Writers Forum, August 1959
First edition, saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 4” x 5”, 16 pages, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover design by W.H. Nessler. (Mayer 2)
Contributors include: Mary Berry, Lois Hieger, Wendy Stockham, Ninette Quinn, Norman Wallace, Bob Cobbing, John Rowan, Nancy Taylor, Gerda Mayer, Maurice Langham, Jean Salisbury, Brian Gould.
3. AND, No. 2, edited by Bob Cobbing and Mary Levien
London: Arts Together, February 1961
(Mayer 3)
4. AND, No. 3, edited by Bob Cobbing and Mary Levien
London: Arts Together, February 1963
(Mayer 4)
5. Musgrove, Keith and Jeff Nuttall. THE LIMBLESS VIRTUOSO
London: Writers’ Forum, June 1963
First edition, side-stapled and bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.5” x 9”, 20 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 1. (Mayer 5)
According to Mayer, “This was the real beginning of Writers Forum as a publishing venture; though it had existed as the literary branch of Arts Together since December 1952, when it was Hendon Writers’ Group.”
6. Cobbing, Bob and John Rowan . THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS
London: Writers Forum, July 1963
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.75” x 8.75”, 17 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 2. (Mayer 6)
7. Roberts, Derek and Michael McGrinder. TOMBSTONES
London: Writers Forum, August 1963
(Mayer 7)
8. Ball, David and Anselm Hollo. WE JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU
London: Writers Forum, October 1963
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.5” x 8.5”, 18 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 4. (Mayer 8)
9. Ginsberg, Allen. THE CHANGE
London: Writers Forum, November 1963
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.75” x 9”, 12 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 5. (Mayer 9)
The first state:
According to Mayer, the “first twelve copies of this had ‘Ginsburg’ on cover, altered by hand to ‘Ginsberg'”. This is the first state, described in Morgan (A7). The corrected state above was reprinted with the linocut revised to correct the spelling.
10. Hieger, Lois. THE HUMAN DRESS
London: Writers Forum, February 1964
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7” x 9”, 17 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 6. (Mayer 10)
11. BARNET POETS, an anthology from schools in the New Borough of Barnet
London: Writers Forum, April 1965
Second revised edition, 6.5” x 8.5”, 20 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover linocut by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 10.
(Mayer 11)
Note: the first edition was published by Arts Together in November 1964.
12. Cobbing, Bob. SOUND POEMS
London: Writers Forum, January 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7” x 9”, 28 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 7. (Mayer 12)
Note: a second edition was published in October 1965, and a third edition in June 1967.
13. Cobbing, Bob. TYPESTRACT ONE
London: Writers Forum, January 1965
(Mayer 13)
14. Hardwick, Anne. TO THE NORTH
London: Writers Forum, March 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7” x 9”, 11 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 8. (Mayer 14)
15. Richardson, Heather and Keith Musgrove. THE EXCREMENT OF ANGELS
London: Writers Forum, March 1965
(Mayer 15)
16. Jandl, Ernst. MAI HART LIEB ZAPFEN EIBE HOLD
London: Writers Forum, May 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed wrappers, 7” x 9.5”, 28 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 11. (Mayer 16)
Note: a second edition was published in November 1965, and a third edition in June 1971.
According to Mayer, this book was published to celebrate Ernst Jandl’s visit to England for the Albert Hall ‘International Poetry Incarnation’, June 11, 1965. On this occasion, three poets, Ernst Jandl, Anselm Hollo, and Allen Ginsberg, read from Writers Forum booklets.
17. Rowan, John. THE TEN PLAGUES
London: Writers Forum, May 1965
First edition, 6.75” x 8.5”, 22 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover design by Jeff Nuttall. Illustrated with ten illustrations by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 12. (Mayer 17)
Note: a second edition was published in August 1970, and a third edition in October 1974.
18. Harwood, Lee. TITLE ILLEGIBLE
London: Writers Forum, June 1965
First edition, side-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 6.75” x 8.5”, 21 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 13. (Mayer 18)
Note: Lee Harwood’s first book.
19. Houedard, Dom Silvester. OP AND KINKON POEMS / AND SOME NON-KINKON
London: Writers Forum, June 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7.25” x 9.5”, 27 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike from a design by Bob Cobbing, title pages designed by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 14. (Mayer 19)
Note: a second edition was published in December 1965, and a third edition in April 1967.
20. Cobbing, Bob. SOUND POEMS; and Jandl, Ernst. SPRECHGEDICHTE [12″ LP]
London: Writers Forum, September 1965
(Mayer 20)
21. Cobbing, Bob. SOUND POEMS; and Jandl, Ernst. SPRECHGEDICHTE
London: Writers Forum, September 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.75” x 8.5”, 23 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike. Introduction, Ancestry, and Chronology by Dom Silvester Houedard. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 15. (Mayer 21)
Note: published to accompany Writers Forum Record No. 1 (see Mayer 20)
22. Fetherston, Patrick. EIGHTEEN QUADRUPLE READINGS
London: Writers Forum, September 1965
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7.25” x 9.25”, 20 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover silkscreen by Jennifer Pike from a design by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 16. (Mayer 22)
23. Nuttall, Jeff. PIECES OF POETRY
London: Writers Forum, February 1966
First edition, side-stapled and bound in photo-illustrated and printed wrappers, 6.75” x 9”, 18 leaves printed on recto only, 500 copies (12 copies numbered and signed by the author), offset printed at the Coptic Press. Cover photo of Nuttall by Dave Trace. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 17. (Mayer 23)
24. Valoch, Jiri. HLAS
London: Writers Forum, February 1966
(Mayer 24)
25. AND, No. 4, edited by Bob Cobbing and John Rowan
London: Writers Forum, March 1966
First edition, perfect-bound in illustrated wrappers, 7.5” x 9.5”, 30 pages, 500 copies, offset printed at the Coptic Press, cover design by Jennifer Pike. (Mayer 4)
Contributors include: Anselm Hollo, Dom Silvester Houedard, Ernst Jandl, Franciszka Themerson, Stefan Themerson, David Mycroft, John Rowan, Bob Cobbing, Bill Butler, Jeff Nuttall, Barry Cole, Anne Hardwick, Criton Tomazos, Jean Michaelson, Philip Crick.
26. Butler, Bill. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
London: Writers Forum, April 1966
First edition, side-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 6” x 8”, 27 leaves printed printed on recto only, 220 copies (50 copies numbered and signed), offset printed, silkscreen cover by Jennier Pike from a design by SAMS. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 19. (Mayer 26)
Note: a second edition was published in December 1970.
27. Cobbing, Bob. EYEARUN
London: Writers Forum, April 1966
(Mayer 27)
28. Mycroft, David. WHO WROTE ‘FIXED’ ON THE CARRAWAY HORSE?
London: Writers Forum, August 1966
(Mayer 28)
29. Hollo, Anselm. THE GOING-ON POEM
London: Writers Forum, April 1966
(Mayer 29)
30. GROUP H, edited by Bob Cobbing
London: Writers Forum, October 1966
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated cover, 8” x 10”, 22 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, offset printed, cover design and endpaper by Bob Cobbing. Introduction by John Rowan. Published as Writers Forum Quartos No. 2. (Mayer 30)
Contributors include: Franciszka Themerson, Jennifer Pike, Barry Flanagain, John Rowan, Criton Tomazos, Jeff Nuttall, Alan Baker, Bob Cobbing, Kenneth Swain, Islwyn Watkins, Jeff Cloves, John Latham, William Chard, David Warren, Dave Trace, Hannah Swain, Gabi Weissmann.
Note: A booklet issued at the time of Group H’s thirty-sixth exhibition held at the Drian Galleries, October 1966. A second edition was published in December 1969 and contains a review of the exhibition by John Rowan reprinted from International Times.
31. Nuttall, Jeff. COME BACK SWEET PRINCE: A NOVELETTE
London: Writers Forum, December 1966
First edition, saddle-stapled in illustrated and printed wrappers, 6.5” x 8.5”, 40 pages, 220 copies (12 copies numbered and signed by the author), offset printed by Cuddon’s Cosmopolitan Review. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 21. (Mayer 31)
32. Nichol, bp. KONFESSIONS OF AN ELIZABETHAN FAN DANCER
London: Writers Forum, January 1967
(Mayer 32)
33. Houedard, Dom Silvester. TANTRIC POEMS, PERHAPS
London: Writers Forum, May 1967
(Mayer 33)
34. Hollo, Anselm. ISADORA AND OTHER POEMS
London: Writers Forum, May 1967
First edition, side-stapled in printed wrappers, 4.5” x 6”, 14 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies, offset printed at the Wooden Shoe, cover from author’s holograph. Published as Writers Forum Minibooks, No. 2. (Mayer 34)
35. Pelieu, Claude. SWIFT SCRIPTS: NOTES AND AFTER EFFECTS
London: Writers Forum, November 1967
First edition, side stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7” x 9”, 31 leaves printed on recto obnly, 500 copies, offset printed, cover design by Jeff Nuttall. Translated from the French by Mary Beach. Published as Writers Forum Poets, No. 22. (Mayer 35)
36. Valoch, Jiri. NINE OPTICAL POEMS
London: Writers Forum, November 1967
(Mayer 36)
37. Cobbing, Bob. KURRIRRURRIRI
London: Writers Forum, November 1967
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated cover, 8” x 10”, 16 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies (25 copies numbered and signed), mimeograph and offset printed, cover design by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Quartos, No. 4. (Mayer 37)
Note: a second edition was published in October 1969, a third in December 1970, and a fourth in March 1973.
38. Nuttall, Jeff. OSCAR CHRIST AND THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
London: Writers Forum, September 1968
First edition, saddle-stapled in illustrated and printed wrappers, 6.5” x 8”, 28 pages, offset printed, cover design by Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 23. (Mayer 38)
Note: Second printing in August 1970.
39. Nuttall, Jeff. MR. WATKINS GOT DRUNK AND HAD TO BE CARRIED HOME
London: Writers Forum, September 1968
Second printing, saddle-stapled in illustrated and printed wrappers, 6.5” x 8”, 48 pages, 500 copies (12 copies numbered and signed by the author), cover illustration by Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 24. (Mayer 39)
From the colophon: “This publication assisted by a financial grant from the Arts Council of Great Britain is a facsimile of the original hors-commerce edition.”
40. Cobbing, Bob. SO (SIX SOUND POEMS)
London: Writers Forum, September 1968
First edition, 7 cards in envelope with cover label tipped on, 8.5” x 10.5”, 220 copies (12 copies numbered and signed), offset printed, cover design by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Folders No. 4. (Mayer 40)
Note: a second edition published in August 1969, a third in March 1970, and the fourth edition in July 1972.
41. PAMPHLET ONE, edited by Bob Cobbing
London: Writers Forum, October 1968
First edition, saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.5” x 8”, 8 pages, 220 copies, offset printed. Published as Writers Forum Pamphlets No. 1. (Mayer 41)
Contributors include: Jeff Nuttall, Brion Gysin, Asa Benveniste, Paul de Vree, Bob Cobbing.
Note: Prepared for Bob Cobbing’s talk and reading at Birmingham and Midland Institute.
42. Rubin, Barbara. CHRISTMAS ON EARTH CONTINUED
London: Writers Forum, December 1968
(Mayer 42)
43. Cobbing, Bob. OCTO
London: Writers Forum, February 1969
First edition, 9 cards of varying sizes printed on recto only in envelope with cover label tipped on, 9″ x 12.5″, 220 copies, offset printed, cover design by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Folders No. 5. (Mayer 43)
Note: a second edition was published in August 1970.
44. Cobbing, Bob. WHISPER PIECE
London: Writers Forum, March 1969
(Mayer 44)
45. Cobbing, Bob. TYPESTRACT TWO
London: Writers Forum, March 1969
(Mayer 45)
46. Okai, John. FLOWERFALL
London: Writers Forum, June 1969
(Mayer 46)
47. Cobbing, Bob. WHISSISSIPPI
London: Writers Forum, July 1969
First edition, saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.5” x 8″, 12pages, 220 copies, offset printed. Published as Writers Forum Pamphlets No. 2. (Mayer 47)
Note: includes everything that was committed to paper in the preparation of a tape-poem; how the score in Whisper Piece (Mayer 44) was developed.
48. Mills, Neil. 12 LOGOTRICKADES
London: Writers Forum, August 1969
(Mayer 48)
49. Cobbing, Bob. WHY SHIVA HAS TEN ARMS
London: Writers Forum, August 1969
First edition, 10 pages in envelope with cover label tipped on, 9.5” x 11.5”, 220 copies, mimeograph printed, cover designed by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Folders No. 7. (Mayer 49)
Note: a second edition was published in July 1972.
50. AND FIVE, edited by Bob Cobbing and John Rowan
London: Writers Forum, September 1969
First edition, unbound sheets in transparent sleeve, 8” x 10”, 35 leaves printed on recto only, 500 copies (12 copies signed by most contributors), offset printed. Cover and frontispiece by Jennifer Pike. (Mayer 50)
Contributors include: Suzanne Bradley, Henri Chopin, Thomas A. Clark, Jeff Cloves, Bob Cobbing, Jennifer Cobbing (Pike), Jeni Couzyn, Michael Da Costa, Alan Davis, Amelia Etlinger, Roy Exley, Anne Hardwick, Dom Silvester Houedard, D.A. Levy, Ulli McCarthy, Michael McGrinder, Peter Mayer, Neil Mills, John Moore, Jeff Nuttall, M.D. Papas, Steve Riley, John Rowan, Schuldt, Peter Stevens, Kenneth Swain, Hannah Swain, Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson, Criton Tomazos, Jirí Valoch, Charles Verey, Andy Walters, Islwyn Watkins, Diz Willis and Gerd Zimmermann.
Note: In many cases, the pages were prepared and printed by the contributors; This issue coincided with the 37th exhibition of Group H at the Students Gallery, Herne Hill in which many of the contributors exhibited, and the pages of the magazine were displayed.
51. Stevens, Peter. LEAVES FROM FALLING TREES
London: Writers Forum, September 1969
First edition, side stapled in photo-illustrated wrappers, 6.5” x 8″, 28 leaves printed on recto only, 220 copies (12 copies numbered and signed), mimeograph printed, offset cover by Bob Cobbing from photographs of Peter Stevens. Published as Writers Forum Poets No. 27. (Mayer 51)
Note: This was the last number in the Writers Forum Poets series.
52. Watkins, Islwyn. DRAWING
London: Writers Forum, December 1969
(Mayer 52)
53. A TYPOGRAPHICAL PROBLEM, edited by Bob Cobbing
London: Writers Forum, December 1969
First edition, saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 5″ x 8″, 12 pages, 220 copies, offset printed, includes poems and prose by contributors in two typographical settings by Bob Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Pamphlets No. 3. (Mayer 53)
Contributors include: Bob Cobbing, Stefan Themerson, Eugen Gomringer, Peter Mayer.
54. Nichol, bp. LAMENT
London: Writers Forum, December 1969
First edition, saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 4.5″ x 5.5″, 20 pages, mimeograph printed. Published as Writers Forum Minibooks, No. 3. (Mayer 54)
Note: first published May 1969 by Ganglia Press, Toronto.
55. Cobbing, Bob. TRIPTYCH
London: Writers Forum, February 1970
(Mayer 55)
56. Cobbing, Jennifer. WUMP ERTATER
London: Writers Forum, March 1970
First edition, 9 cards with printed enclosure in envelope with tipped in printed and illustrated label, 8.5″ x 10.5″, mieograph-printed, offset-printed cover by Jennifer Cobbing. Published as Writers Forum Folders No. 8. (Mayer 56)
57. FREE FORM POETRY 1, edited by Bob Cobbing
London: Writers Forum, July 1970
(Mayer 57)
58. SAMPLES OF CONCRETE POETRY, edited by Bob Cobbing
London: Writers Forum, August 1970
(Mayer 58)
59. McCarthy, Ulli. YOUR FACE YOUR FACE HAD NOT BEEN SEEN
London: Writers Forum, August 1970
(Mayer 59)
60. Mottram, Eric. INSIDE THE WHALE
London: Writers Forum, August 1970
First edition, side-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 8″ x 10″, 10 leaves printed on recto only, mimeograph-printed, cover and illustrations by Jeff Nuttall. Published as Writers Forum Quartos No. 7. (Mayer 60)
Note: Eric Mottram’s first book of poems.
…
References consulted:
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- Better Books/Better Bookz: Art, Anarchy, Apostasy, Counter-culture & the New Avant-garde, edited by Rozemin Keshvani, Axel Heil, and Peter Weibel
London: Koenig Books, 2018
- Better Books/Better Bookz: Art, Anarchy, Apostasy, Counter-culture & the New Avant-garde, edited by Rozemin Keshvani, Axel Heil, and Peter Weibel
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-
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- Bob Cobbing & Writers Forum, edited by Peter Mayer
Ceolfrith Arts/Sunderland Arts Centre, October 1974
Published as Ceolfrith 26. (ref. Mayer)
- Bob Cobbing & Writers Forum, edited by Peter Mayer
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- Morgan, Bill. The Works of Allen Ginsberg
Wesport: Greenwood Press, 1995
- Morgan, Bill. The Works of Allen Ginsberg
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