Reviews

“Developing the Negative represents a significant advance. She takes big themes... and finds a different point of view on the ordinary, a fresh voice to enliven the familiar. This collection confirms Wills as one of the more interesting and accomplished new poets writing today.”

June Hall, Acumen 64

“Emily Wills' first collection is a gem. She focuses on familiar themes — birth, childhood, old age — with surgical precision, using spare concrete imagery to dazzling effect.”

Catherine Smith, The Frogmore Papers

“Diverting the Sea … has a substantial set of voices in its clustering of themes and preoccupations emanating from a sensitive standpoint inside the ordinary. Wills has the ability to dwell on people with the loving curiosity of a painter …”

Stephen Waling, The North

“This poet is capable of interesting slants on her subjects and is handy with a telling phrase … But it has to be said she is not so good at entering the worlds of strangers or tackling wider themes—Hilda (about a hospital domestic) … The Weigh-In (about an overweight Polish refugee) were all, to me, exercises in banal and patronising stereotyping … This is an uneven collection, but at its best suggests a developing talent.”

Gordon Wardman, Prop

“… thanks again for a lovely reading. You deliver the poems in a confident and measured manner — and they're lovely poems! We certainly enjoyed having you at the Troubadour.”

Anne-Marie Fyfe 2009

“Emily is not only a professional poet: she's obviously a professional teacher of poets, too. From the two workshops I've been to, I came away with new ideas, material for development, and critical responses to work in progress: enough fuel and encouragement to nourish a whole new phase of writing.”

Jane Mace 2008

“Excellent tutor — mind expanding”

“… has made me aware I can write more than I thought I could.”

“… an excellent tutor having the ability of understanding each individual also giving confidence.”

WorkOut With Words workshop participants 2002