Cryptids, Monsters and More! Writing Fantastical Creatures

Jools Warner is leading a creative writing workshop on cryptids and mythical creatures at The Writers Workshop on Saturday 24 October, from 10 am to 12 pm. It's part of the venue's Weird Weekend, an annual programme of have-a-go workshops that works for beginners and experienced writers alike, so you don't need to be a seasoned pro to get involved.

Warner is a fantasy author who brings a fair bit of weight to the subject. She holds a PhD in Death Studies and writes mythic and urban fantasy and spooky fiction, with a particular interest in mental health, community and ancestral trauma. You can find her work in Ernie and the Mage-Killer (Bellows Press 2024, Sul Books 2025) and Shadow on Darkling Edge (Sul Books 2026). The session itself plays with the expected and the unexpected, sketching out scary stuff before dialling up the whimsy.

The Writers Workshop is a nonprofit social enterprise in the city centre, and its members are its lifeblood. It also runs 'Get Writing', the longest-standing group on site, which meets every Wednesday with a theme and a focus but no formal instruction, guided by gentle, playful prompts. If you enjoy the workshop, that's a good place to keep the momentum going.

The session runs from 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday 24 October at 14 Orchard Square, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2FB, and tickets are £22-27.