Forgotten Objects: Using Prompts to Craft Strange Fiction

Lost, abandoned, and out of place - some objects seem to hum with untold stories. In Forgotten Objects, award-winning writer Gaynor Jones will lead a playful, immersive workshop designed to spark creative inspiration.

Using strange and uncanny items scattered throughout the space - things that don’t quite belong, fragments of the past, objects that feel charged with mystery - you’ll explore how physical things can unlock new ideas. Whether you're a writer, poet, artist or work in another creative medium, this workshop will guide you through the process of unlocking the uncanny as a tool for creativity, offering prompts that lead you into unsettling, otherworldly territories.

This is an idea-generating workshop, open to all levels of experience. You’ll start with an introduction to using prompts for creative practice and finish with an optional sharing session for participants to reflect on their discoveries.

Gaynor Jones

Gaynor Jones is an award-winning short story writer whose work has been recognized in competitions like the Mairtín Crawford Short Story Award, Bath Flash Fiction, and the Bridport Prize. Her fiction has appeared in publications such as Aesthetica, Barrelhouse, and The Forge, and she was longlisted for the 2022 BBC National Short Story Award. Gaynor's novella-in-flash Among These Animals was shortlisted for Best Novella at the Saboteur Awards. She is the recipient of a 2020 Northern Writer’s Award and a 2023 Arts Council grant for her debut novel The Wild Ones.

Weird Women

Weird Women is a creative programme from Levenshulme Old Library celebrating the strange, the uncanny, and the unexplained. Led by and designed for women-identifying participants, each session offers a safe and supportive space to explore the darker, more mysterious sides of creativity.

All Weird Women events are free to attend as we believe in making creative spaces as accessible as possible. However, we recommend those who are to support our work make a donation of £10 when booking. Every contribution helps us continue running events like this at Levenshulme Old Library, supporting artists, writers and facilitators in our neighbourhood.

Weird Women is open to all women, including cis and trans women. If you have any questions about accessibility or participation, feel free to get in touch - we’re happy to help.