KSP Chats With...Jake Dennis

We recently had the privilege of hosting the talented poet and 2024/25 participant of the Emerging Writers Program, Jake Dennis.

In this Q&A, Jake reveals how the Emerging Writers Program has boosted his writing career, offering mentorship, exposure, and valuable connections. He shares insights into the themes that fuel his poetry and how being part of a creative community helps him overcome the isolation that often comes with the craft. Read on to discover how Jake’s journey is shaping his next exciting projects, including his upcoming collection Praying for Spiders.

• How has participating in the Emerging Writers Program benefitted your writing practice?

Creative artists like me depend on initiatives like EWPs to advance our careers. Goal-focused programs like this provide us structured support and deadline-driven motivation to achieve outcomes in accelerated timeframes. Receiving mentorship from poet Bron Bateman, opportunities from Writing WA (Literati listing, Raine Square short story dispenser publication, & social media promo) and KSP (a WAPI-funded weekend retreat, Friday write-in sessions, & this interview), and community and learning with EWP poets & coordinator SPM, has supported me in preparing my poetry collection Journeying for publication.

• What themes do you find yourself returning to in your work?

Two limited edition QPoetry! Festival chapbooks of my work, The Exhibition and Gone, were published by Queensland Writers Centre and exhibited at the Judith Wrights Centre of Contemporary Arts in 2024. Part of a trilogy of form-focused poetry pamphlets drawn from my as yet uncollected published poetry, these samplers showcase my love for poetic forms (ekphrastic, haiku, & sonnets) and explore topics which recur throughout my poetry: art, belonging, faith, family, love, mortality, nature, and representation.

• Writing can sometimes be an isolating endeavour. Is being part of the local or online writing community a must for writers? Why?

Connecting with local, national, and global writing communities provides many benefits for writers (opportunities for friendship, upskilling, education, etc). I believe in sharing skills, resources, knowledge, and opportunities (an abundance mindset) so I really value building social connections with people no matter their experience. Everyone has value, experiences, talents, and knowledges to share which helps counterbalance an otherwise isolating existence which many creatives suffer as a consequence of Western capitalist culture which centres competition, selfishness, and endless production (a scarcity mindset) over community and connection in our world of endless possibilities.

• What’re some unexpected sources of inspiration you’ve encountered?

A few unexpected sources of inspiration have been: a raven repeatedly returning to its run-over mate, a talented jazz bassist’s frustration with the image-focused compliments females receive after performances, and finding a dried worm halfway between the exit and stage during a play rehearsal. Exploring KSP during my retreat I discovered some unexpected sources of inspiration (wild almonds, Opuntia, and lines from a letter by KSP under the main house) which I hope to transform into poetry.

• How do you think the EWP experience will shape your future writing projects or career path? Looking ahead, what projects are you most excited about, and where do you see your writing taking you in the future?

I am currently building my sophomore collection Praying for Spiders which is my focus for this EWP’s second half so I am grateful for the writing centre networks and author friendships that this EWP made possible. Delivering workshops and producing arts events and opportunities which uplift and celebrate people from disadvantaged backgrounds remain ongoing passions. I relished supplying workshops for the Hillview Intercultural Community Centre and Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival last year so this year will deliver workshops for the Centre for Stories and City of Swan. Connect with @PoetOfJazz on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and WordPress.

A massive thanks to Jake Dennis for answering our questions, and a big than you to Writing WA for giving us the opportunity to be part of the Emerging Writers Program and support the voices of Perth's next generation of storytellers!