Hulse began publishing in national magazines in 1976, and won the first (1978) National Poetry Competition, judged by Ted Hughes, Fleur Adcock and Gavin Ewart, with his poem 'Dole Queue'.
His overseas reading tours have included Canada, 1985; New Zealand, 1991; Canada, 1991; Australia, 1992; India, 1995; Australia, 1999; Canada, 2002; United States, 2003; Mexico, 2010; United States, 2010; Australia and New Zealand, 2012; as well as numerous events in various European countries.