A year of writing prompts: January 30

How to use these prompts

Who is this woman?
How did she come by the bird?
Where is she sending it?

Prompts

1. "History is the unfolding of miscalculations". Barbara W Tuchman
2. It's National Inane Answering Message Day. Write about someone who is trying to contact another person but gets nothing but an inane answerphone message.
3. In 1790, the first purpose built lifeboat was launched. Write about a group of people in a lifeboat after their ship sinks.
4. In 1989 archaeologists in Egypt found five life sized granite figures of Pharaohs dating back to 1470BC. Write a story about these figures.
5. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Franklin D Roosevelt

Character Names

Robin, Martina, Valentina, Roosevelt, Oprah, Ema

Character Traits

• Often act without thinking; do not know their own strength and can hurt people even though they are trying to help.
• Value freedom and resent having to pay homage to or salute another person. That said, there is likely to be some restriction of their freedom. At some point in their lives they may have to go into exile or into hiding.
• Secretive.
• Tendency to look down on others and take pleasure in their misery.
• Usually dignified but can get carried away by their passions.
• Impatient with what they sense to be stupidity around them.
• At their best, generous and self sacrificing.
• At their worst, unstable and spiteful.
• Imaginative and creative - capable of bringing lofty ideals into practical use.
• Revolutionaries who will work to change the established order and redress wrongs.
• May go into public service, the military, healing sciences or politics.
• Things which could cause their downfall are snobbery, insubordination, resistance, or outrage against those beneath them, eg. their staff.
• May be some involvement with terrorism.
• Falls from grace are possible.

Possible Themes

Independence and freedom through conflict.

Hierarchies. Social class; promotion and upward mobility.

Contraction and expansion.

Fame.

Politics and big business.

Objects

A grand staircase; an injured dove; a manuscript; a bundle of letters.