Building Weird Worlds Writing Workshop

Building Weird Worlds is a writing workshop running online via Zoom on Sunday 25 October, from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. It's led by Akshay Gajria, a London-based storyteller, writer and coach with an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. He's currently writing action-horror fantasy, and his work has appeared in Fabled Planet, Skulls, Tamarind Literary Magazine and Human Parts.

The session is about world-building, and Gajria describes it as giving writers concrete, actionable strategies for building rich, believable worlds. That applies whether you're working on epic fantasy, urban magic, mythic retellings or alternate histories, so it's as much for the high-fantasy crowd as it is for those keeping their magic closer to home. It's a hands-on session rather than a lecture, and it's open to beginners and experienced writers alike.

The workshop is part of Weird Weekend, an annual programme of magic and fantasy-themed workshops run by The Writers Workshop, a Sheffield-based nonprofit social enterprise. They describe their mission as sharing the joy and power of creative writing, with a focus on community, creativity, craft and careers for writers of all backgrounds. They run sessions both online and at their Workshop in Orchard Square, so this one is part of a wider Sheffield presence rather than a standalone online event.

Tickets start from £20.21, and the session runs for ninety minutes on Sunday afternoon, 5 pm to 6:30 pm, via Zoom.