Paul Batchelor was born in Northumberland. His pamphlet, To Photograph a Snow Crystal, was published by Smith/Doorstop in 2006, and his first full-length collection of poems, The Sinking Road, was published by Bloodaxe in 2008. His work has appeared in anthologies such as Identity Parade (Bloodaxe, 2010), The Penguin Book of Irish Poetry (Penguin, 2010), When Love Speaks (Vintage, 2011) and Being Human (Bloodaxe, 2011).
At Newcastle University, Paul wrote a PhD on the poetry of Barry MacSweeney. He is a freelance writer and teacher, and regularly reviews for the Guardian, The Times and the Times Literary Supplement. He is currently one of the Poetry Book Society pamphlet selectors.
Awards and Prizes
2011 Arthur Welton Award (from the Arthur Welton Foundation)
2010 Arts Council Bursary
2009 The Times Stephen Spender Prize for Translation
2009 Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition
2009 Writer of the Year (Journal Culture Awards)
2008 Jerwood-Aldeburgh Best First Collection Prize (shortlist)
2008 Glen Dimplex Best First Collection Prize (shortlist)
2005 Poetry Business Prize
2004 Andrew Waterhouse Award (from New Writing North)
2003 Eric Gregory Award (from the Society of Authors)