Ian McMillan says social media is helping new poets bypass 'establishment gatekeepers'
Poet Ian McMillan argues that social media platforms like Instagram and BlueSky are democratizing poetry by allowing writers to bypass traditional publishing gatekeepers. He believes these tools provide confidence to new poets and help them reach audiences directly.
Why it matters
This reflects a broader shift in the creative arts where digital platforms are disrupting traditional industry hierarchies.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Grace Wood Yorkshire Jody Moore Ian McMillan will read poems from his new book at Ilkley Literature Festival Poet Ian McMillan says social media is helping the next generation of poets to breakthrough the "gatekeepers" of the "poetry establishment".
The 70-year-old will be appearing at Ilkley Literature Festival, alongside authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and Kate Atkinson, swimmer Mark Foster and tennis coach Judy Murray.
McMillan, who publishes a Haiku on BlueSky every day, says he finds social media platforms to be "liberating" for those who want to publish new work.
"I think Instagram poetry is fantastic. It's really liberated people who might have felt a bit nervous about the poetry establishment," he says.
"Social media is great for making people feel confident. And to put something on Instagram, a poem or an image, is to actually publish it, isn't it?
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