I want to start a poetry reading club at my school- how can I advertise it so th

Question:

I want to start a poetry reading club at my school- how can I advertise it so that everyone feels welcome?

Sometimes these groups can make people feel intimidated by others who may write better, but I want to make it an open space so that everyone can learn from one another.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Just make sure the words "open mike" are big and prominent. It's important to let people know that ANYONE can read. You could also host "theme" readings, like poems about computers, or poems about hanging out. You just might hit on something that will bring out that shy person who's been sitting in the back. But as a host, you also have to pull the people up there. If you see someone who isn't as polished as the other people or seems a bit shy, pick them first. Skip over the usual people: they probably have big ego anyway from people telling them how good they are. And encourage everyone to applaud and pay attention to everyone else. Most of the good poetry readings I go to have a sense of family where the MC encourages people to support each other.