John Moody, a published poet and secretary of the Comet Festival Committee, has organised a writing festival which will feature two workshops with acclaimed authors.
Each workshop will ask participants to write about aspects of Port Glasgow, with the hope that the works produced can be collated for publication.
The first will be themed around ‘The River and Comet’ and the second will have the theme of ‘Port Glasgow – For Better or Worse’.
John Moody with his book of poems and a poster about the writing event (Image: George Munro)
John, 73, said: “I’m now the secretary of the festival committee, and I’m very keen to ensure that the festival maintains its legendary vibrancy and diversity, adding a creative writing element.
“As a local writer, I’m keen to encourage people to come forward and write about the Comet and Port Glasgow.
“We plan to publish some work produced on the June 20 in a booklet.”
The first workshop runs from 1pm until 2.30pm and is being hosted by published writer Linda Jackson, who has taught creative writing for 30 years.
Linda is also the founding editor of Seahorse Publications and a talented musician.
The second workshop will take place from 3.30pm until 5pm and is run by Finola Scott, a granny and gardener who writes to capture places and people.
Finola’s prize-winning poems have been widely published in magazines and as anthologies.
John says there are still places available for both workshops, but those interested will need to act quickly to book a space.
Anyone who wants to sign up should email john.moody2@btinternet.com.
John said: “Lots of people have signed up for the first one.
“We are looking for people to write about what their view is of Port Glasgow.
“There are a lot of good things going on in the town and there is money going to be spent in the Port for the better.
“At the end of the whole process, we should have a kernel of a book of work that will be published through the Comet Festival Committee.”
Budding writers will also be able to hear from Inverclyde‘s very own award-winning sci-fi writer Ken MacLeod, who will be at the festival’s entertainment tent all day speaking to fans and giving them writing advice.
He will be joined by a selection of writers and editors to showcase and sell their work.
John said: “Ken is a local science fiction writer.
“I am sure in his Lightspeed Trilogy he writes about the Clyde as a launch space for starships and a shipyard, with a nod to Ferguson’s building star ships, so we’re going a bit beyond ferries here.”
John is urging people to take part in the writing festival (Image: George Munro)
Ken’s novels The Sky Road and The Night Sessions have won British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) awards and in 2024 he was one of the guests of honour at the 82nd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow.
There will also be an informal spoken word event at 6.45pm at the Salvation Army Hall in King Street, led by readings from Finola, Ken and Linda, and local writers.
Inverclyde Windfarm Community Fund has provided the grant which has helped the Comet Festival Committee bring the trio of talented writers to the festival.