Occupied Memories

Writing historical fiction is an educational and challenging endeavor, but one that is sure to spark creativity. Even if you aren’t specifically writing historical fiction, what you can learn from history can be carried into other genres, embellished, and create a whole new story inspired by true events. For today’s writing prompt, we’ll visit the Civil War era. While it takes place during wartime it’s not a military battle scene. The twist for this prompt is that it steps away from the battleground where the soldiers are maimed and killed and challenges you to write from the POV (Point of View) of a civilian. You can choose the person who wrote the letter or someone else in her circle of influence.

Mary Custis Lee in Old Age. Wearing a night cap and shawl, Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee, the wife of Robert E. Lee, sits in a wheelchair in Lexington, Virginia, around 1868. This glass-plate image was made by local photographer Michael Miley.

Who What, When, Where, and Why: Civil War Occupation Prompt

• Who is writing the letter? Mary Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee, was born in 1806, and died in 1873.
• Who is the letter written to? Union General Sanford
• When was it written? May 30, 1861
• Why was it written? It describes her distress at the occupation of her home, Arlington House, by Northern troops.
• Where does the story take place? Arlington House (home to the Lees) in Virginia

Incomplete Transcript of the letter

30th May 1861

It never occurred to me Gen'l Sanford that I could be forced to sue for permission to enter my own house and that such an outrage as its military occupation to the exclusion of me and my children could ever have been perpetrated by anyone in the whole extent of this country. I had been warned by an anxious friend that such a design was in contemplation nearly a month ago & advised to remove to a place of safety all my property that was of any value. Still incredulous I complied with his earnest entreaties in regard to the Mt. Vernon relics, plate, & pictures that we could never replace and after a visit of about 10 days to a friend in Fairfax was preparing…

Include three types of conflict

Conflict in a War story is conveyed on three levels:

1. External Conflict: Soldiers, environmental pressures
2. Interpersonal Conflict: Between your antagonist and protagonist.
3. Internal Conflict: This is the struggle within your protagonist.

War stories ascend from the protagonist’s physiological AND emotional needs for safety.

 

Resources where you can garner information for setting, clothing, etc.

Arlington House

Fashion

The US Constitution, Third Amendment: “No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”.

Sources: (Mary Custis Lee papers. Accession No. 0080-001)

 

Good Intentions with Dystopian Consequences

A good intention is an idea or plan of something you are going to do for the good of someone or something. For today’s writing prompt we will create a dystopian backdrop with a plan intended to force ideals on others. Consider the old proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions." For this prompt, that’s where the world is headed because of actions of some who think they are doing something to benefit the Earth or mankind.

It’s easy to find fodder for the imagination in today’s news with talk of WWIII, the use of directed energy weapons, continued experiments with weaponized viruses, mega drought, cloud seeding, reducing the population, and the killing of animals to reduce the carbon footprint. Or how about derailed trains spilling toxins into waterways used to supply drinking water to millions? While it may seem impossible someone would derail trains to poison drinking water, it does make a good premise for a dystopian novel. For ideas, look up conspiracy theories attached to any of these topics and you’ll have a blueprint for your dystopian setting. 

Today’s Writing Prompt: Orwellian 15 minute city

The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that promotes sustainable and healthy living. All daily necessities and services can be reached through a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any point in the city. No need for cars. For this writing prompt laws are put into place to outlaw cars within the city. And if a resident travels more than 15 minutes they have social credits deducted. They start to feel like rats in a trap looking for a way of escape. The consequences get tougher for multiple infractions. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Create a character with a reputation. He moves into the city with high expectations, but things change. And remember, one element of writing science fiction is the science needed to make the story work. It may cause the problem or it may be the solution to the problem. In many cases it is both. Either way, it is what makes Sci-fi, "Science" fiction.

 

Pattern prompt for creating a superhero

Elements of making your own superhero can be boiled down to a pattern. The fun thing about this pattern for creating a superhero is that it leaves room for originality and unpredictability. To help you see what I mean, think of s film or book in which a superhero was born. For this post, let’s use Spiderman (a.k.a. Peter Parker) as an example.

 

The story opens on a “normal” day in the life of student/jr. reporter Peter Parker, but then he is bitten by a radioactive spider. But those three elements are not the spark that creates Spiderman. It’s tragedy. He loses his Uncle Ben. In the original Marvel Comic version, Ben was killed by a villain known as The Burglar. This part of the story has transformed and been reimagined in a multiplicity of Spiderman renderings, but each version holds one thing in common. Peter feels guilty and responsible. It motivates him to help others and to try to do the right thing.

4 Point pattern for creating a superhero

•  Normal day/Ordinary character

• An event
• Tragic backstory that sparks the birth
• Stand for something

 

Now that you see this four-point pattern, think of other superheroes. Superman: Normal Kryptonian baby boy (Krypton has a red sun). His parents love him but his planet is doomed. The “event” -- they send him to Earth and the planet Krypton explodes. Later details suggested that under Earth’s yellow sun his Kryptonian cells absorb solar energy giving him superhuman powers. But such details were not in the original 1939 Superman #1. In fact, details were scant. Clark was initially turned over to an “orphan asylum” and adopted. His super-human strength is revealed, but all these details have many versions. The same hold true for his tragic backstory which most often is tied to the death of his earthly parent(s). What did he stand for? That too, has evolved. The current motto is “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.”

 

In the "normal" aspect of life, we introduce the character and develop them enough for readers to get to know them. We see them bullied, lonely, hurt, emotionally struggling, etc. This aspect should be something readers can relate to. It makes the story hit closer to home.

The "event" changes some aspect of that normal life, and "backstory" works as a springboard that ushers in a superpower of some sort. How it is used will depend on the superhero’s ethics. Like Superman had a rule to never use his power to kill. Spiderman had the same rule when taking down his enemies until another personal tragedy hit him. But that is another story which shows that there is room in this pattern for characters to evolve and keep things unpredictable.

 

Today’s writing prompt:

Use the four-point Superhero pattern to create a superhero and then write a scene to introduce them.

 

1. Show a normal day/ordinary character. This will give an idea to what they do, who they know, and their relationships.
2. An event (self-explanatory). This may be something big, like some type of trauma that makes them lose their memory and wake up as “someone else.” Or, like Spiderman, it can be something almost imperceptible like a spider bite.
3. Tragic backstory that sparks the birth (motivation) to use their newly acquired power. Often this has to do with loss of family but it’s up to you. It’s your superhero.
4. Stand for something. (What makes them a hero?)

 

Have fun and happy writing.