THE countdown has begun for next year’s Words in Watchet, the town’s annual three-day literary festival, with the organisers promising a feast of reading and writing for all tastes ranging from fantasy and poetry to science, nature, and family history.

Set to take place at venues in the town from February 20 to 22, highlights of the festival will include a day of family fun, Hugh Lupton’s true story of his ancestor Arthur Ransome’s escape from revolutionary Russia, lunches with local writer Martin Hesp and detective novelist Damian Boyd, and readings from favourite books.

There will be a full poetry programme over the two days, including workshops and a spoken word evening, plus a Dungeons and Dragons workshop which proved popular in 2025.

A wide variety of topics will range from the ‘Golden Rule of Aging’ and the truth about stress, to detective and crime stories, the Spice Ports, Quantock Nature, publishing. and the history of photography.

Speakers will include Fiona Benson, Nick Nugent, Andrew Miller, who was recently short-listed for the Booker Prize, Martin Hesp, Chris Ewans, Damian Boyd, Jonathon Green, Lucy Pollock, and Angela Patmore.

There will be local authors based in the Phoenix Centre as well as books from Brendon Books.

The festival will feature two adult writing competitions for which entries must be submitted by Sunday, January 4.

These is an over-18s poetry competition on any theme, any style, up to 40 lines, and over-18s ‘flash fiction’, which should be a maximum of 100 words.

More details about entry fees, prizes, and dates can be found on the festival’s website or via Watchet Visitor Centre and Watchet Library.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “Our Words in Watchet programme should be delivered through Watchet doors early January and available in the town.

“Come along, be entertained, be inspired, and have fun.”