New literary festival to inspire new writers

A new literary festival to help aspiring writers will be a "welcoming place where writers and readers can learn from one another", organisers say.

Barnard Castle Writing Group said it would hold the first Write Hear! Write Now! festival in late November.

The event will feature creative writing and poetry workshops as well as an open mic session to give participants a chance to share their work with a live audience.

Festival convener Martyn Radcliffe said he hoped it will become a yearly fixture for the town and "get a few people interested in the writing group".

He said the writing group applied for funding a couple of months ago but were not successful in their application.

Despite the setback the 28-member group decided to go ahead with hosting a festival anyway.

"We realised that we had talked about running a festival for quite a few years," Radcliffe said.

"We saw how successful the Durham and Weardale events are and thought you have to start somewhere."

The event will begin at 10:00 GMT on 28 November at the Witham & Raby Arms with no admission fee.

A spokesperson for the writing group said they wanted to "share ideas, learn from one another and celebrate the power of words".

"Whether you've been writing for years or are just beginning to explore your creativity, we hope this festival will inspire you to write, share your voice and discover something new."

Along with the practical writing workshops attendees can also watch a panel discussion focused on the challenges and joys of the writing process.

A Barnard Castle Town Council spokesperson said they were "delighted" to hear about the upcoming literary festival.

They said: "The event will no doubt highlight the wealth of creative talent in our area and we wish them every success."

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