THE countdown has begun for next year’s Words in Watchet literary festival, scheduled for February 19 to 21, with competitions for poetry and flash fiction now open for entries.

The poetry competition, to be judged by Chrissie Banks and Mat Bryden, is for over-18s and poets must live in the Westcountry.

Poems can be on any theme and in any style, with a maximum 40 lines, plus title and any epigraphs, and entry costs £4 for first poem, £2 for subsequent poems.

Entries should be accompanied by a cover sheet/entry form which includes titles of entered poems so that names are not on the poems.

They can be submitted with a with payment reference, or by email to [email protected] or by post to 14a Wedlakes, Watchet, TA23 0JL, to arrive by midnight on Sunday, January 17.

Winning poets will be notified by Monday, February 8, if they have won the first prize of £75, second prize of £50, or third of £25.

Winners will be asked to read at a prizegiving on February 21.

A festival spokesperson said: “Absolutely no AI generated content will be permitted.”

The flash fiction competition for over-18s, judged by Elizabeth Delo, author of ‘Becoming Liz Taylor’, is for stories told in 100 words or fewer, plus title, on themes involving woods or trees.

Entries, which cost £1 each, should be sent in the same way as poetry competition entries.

Winners will be notified by February 8, and will receive first, second, and third prizes of £20, £10, and £5.

Writers should first make a payment for submissions at the TicketSource page and record the payment reference received to submit along with the submissions.

Printable entry forms, separate for each competition, are available online from relevant sections on the Words in Watchet website.

Any problems or inquiries should be sent by email.