250+ Category: Historical Fiction Writing Prompts
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Harlem Renaissance Lights
Bring to life a character deeply involved in the Harlem Renaissance, an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem.
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Wall Street Frenzy
Narrate the story of a banker or stockbroker in the buildup to and aftermath of the 1920 Wall Street Crash.
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Jazz Speakeasies and The Prohibition
Describe a night in a jazz speakeasy during the era of Prohibition.
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Unseen Casualty
Document a day in the life of a nurse or medic in a war hospital during the World War era.
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Love Amidst War
Envision a tale of romantic love blossoming amidst the bleakness and devastation of war.
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Behind Enemy’s Lines
Create a story in which your main character is a spy planted in enemy territory during World War.
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Home Away From Home
Imagine you’re an evacuated child in the World War era, living in a stranger’s home away from your parents. Describe your experiences.
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Frontline Journal
Step into the shoes of a solider and pen a diary entry chronicling one day at the frontline.
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The Suffragette’s Letter
Write a series of letters between a Victorian woman involved in the suffragette movement and her disapproving family.
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Into the Victorian Underworld
Create a story centred on the daily life of a character involved in the less glamorous, darker side of Victorian society.
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Mysteries of the Victorian Inventor
Craft an adventure story around a local inventor with a life-changing creation.
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Tales from the Workhouse
Write a narrative about a Victorian-era workhouse, basing your story on the lives of the inhabitants.
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A Diary of Victorian Youth
Write from the perspective of a young child in a Victorian family navigating the complexities of the era.
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Ambition or Despair
Write a story involving a struggling family deciding whether to join the Gold Rush or not.
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The Native Perspective
Write a story from the perspective of a Native American during the Gold Rush.
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Forgotten Miners
Write a story about a diverse group of miners who didn’t strike it rich but lived through the Gold Rush.
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Hero in a Tragic Tale
Create a character that helps others endure the hardships of the Trail of Tears.
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Echoes of the Past
Write a contemporary story where a protagonist discovers their lineage linked to the Trail of Tears.
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Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Write a story from the perspective of a child undergoing the journey on the Trail of Tears.
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The Struggle of Loss
Depict a close-knit family affected by the forced removal and their experiences on the Trail.
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Journey of Survival
Write about a character embarking on the Trail of Tears and focusing on their personal survival.
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One Last Letter
Craft a final letter that a passenger on Titanic pens to a loved one, knowing they won’t survive.
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The Wording on the Wall
Imagine you’re a passenger who stumbles upon a prediction of the Titanic’s fate scrawled in hidden corner of the ship.
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Untold Hero
Write about a fictional cook or staff on the Titanic who becomes an unexpected hero during the sinking.
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Ticket Collector’s Tale
Write a story from the perspective of the Titanic’s ticket collector, detailing the passengers’ emotions as they board.
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Leonardo’s Lost Notebook
Imagine you discover one of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost notebooks, what secrets does it hold?
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Printing Press Revolution
Write a story about an ordinary citizen whose life is transformed by the invention of the Gutenberg Press.
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Galileo’s Apprentice
You are an apprentice of the infamous astronomer, Galileo Galilei, when he is accused of heresy.
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Hidden in the Medici Court
You are a secret spy in the court of the famous Medicis during the Renaissance.
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Renaissance Art Visionary
Imagine you are an unknown artist during the Renaissance and you create a masterpiece overlooked by everyone.
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The Theodosian Walls
Create a story about a soldier stationed on the Theodosian Walls, defending Constantinople from invaders.
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Silent Whispers of Hagia Sophia
Chronicle the daily life of a groundskeeper tasked with maintaining the Hagia Sophia.
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Monk in the Mosaics
Construct a tale about a monk who secretly embeds subversive messages in the mosaics he’s commissioned to create.
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The Splendor of Constantinople
Write a narrative set in the grandeur of Constantinople during its peak in the Byzantine era.
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Life in the Speakeasy
Detail a night in a secret speakeasy during the Prohibition Era from the perspective of a regular patron.
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The Flapper Feminist
You are a young woman in the 1920s who rejects the traditional gender norms of the time and adopts the flapper lifestyle. Describe a day in your life.
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Harlem Renaissance Herald
Write a series of diary entries from the perspective of an African American artist during the Harlem Renaissance.
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After the Heist
Create a story where the protagonist belongs to a bootlegging gang during Prohibition, and has just successfully evaded law enforcement.
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The Birth of Jazz
Imagine you are a musician during the Jazz Age, describe your experiences and struggles you went through to perfect your craft.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis Reimagined
Create a suspense-filled narrative focused on backroom negotiations during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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Letters from the Iron Curtain
Write a series of letters from a person living behind the Iron Curtain to a loved one in the West.
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Space Race Rivalry
Write about the experiences of a scientist working on either the American Apollo or the Soviet Sputnik programs.
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Undercover Tales
Craft a story about a spy from the United States or USSR, with their missions, triumphs, and challenging moral decisions.
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Defecting Dancers
Imagine you are a renowned ballet dancer in the USSR during the Cold War, struggling with the decision to defect to the West.
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Conquest or Coexistence
You are a native ruler when the Europeans arrive. How do you decide to handle this new force?
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Unknown Horizons
You’re an explorer setting sail for unknown lands. Detail your fears, anticipations, and experiences.
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Meeting of Two Worlds
Write a story about the first encounter between Europeans and indigenous people of the New World.
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Secret Scrolls
Imagine a scribe who discovers a political conspiracy while transcribing royal documents.
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Rise of a Peasant
Imagine a low-class peasant during the Dark Ages who unexpectedly becomes the ruler.
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Call of the New World
Write a story about a common Tudor person’s decision to join the risky voyage to the New World.
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The Lost Portrait
Imagine a painter in the Tudor era who is commissioned to create a portrait that eventually goes missing. Document the journey of this portrait.
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The Plague Nurse
Set during The Sweate, a mysterious and frightful illness of the Tudor era, write about a nurse who risks everything to help the afflicted.
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Throne Games
Pen the story of a lesser-known, but ambitious courtier at the Tudor court who plots his way to power.
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Trade Routes of the Empire
Depict the life of a merchant navigating the famous Silk Road during the Ottoman Empire.
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Courtyard Conversations
Write about the daily life and conversations of young women in the Harem of the Ottoman Empire.
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Janissaries’ Emotions
Write a story from the perspective of a Janissary, the elite infantry units in the Ottoman Empire, who were often slaves taken from Christian families.
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Fall of Constantinople
Imagine you are a citizen of Constantinople during its capture by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. What was your experience?
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The Sultan’s Confidant
Create a story through the perspective of a close advisor to an Ottoman Sultan, documenting the rise and fall of their reign.
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Behind The Speeches
Imagine you are a speechwriter for a Civil Rights leader. Detail the process of drafting one of their speeches.
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Bystander Perspective
Write a story from the perspective of someone who initially resisted the Civil Rights movement but had a change of heart.
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Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times
Write about a day in the life of an ordinary person living through the Civil Rights era.
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Rebirth of Ideas
Write about a Renaissance philosopher’s struggle to spread a controversial idea that challenges traditional beliefs.
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Patron of Arts
As a wealthy Renaissance patron, decide which type of art or artist to sponsor and the potential consequences.
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Venetian Masquerade
Write about a grand masquerade ball in Renaissance Venice where a life-altering secret is unveiled.
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Da Vinci’s Hidden Apprentice
Imagine you are Leonardo Da Vinci’s undiscovered apprentice and recount your experiences and learnings.
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Secrets of the Medici
Write a story about an unrecorded secret pact among the Medici family during the Renaissance.
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Forbidden Love in The Forbidden City
Write about a love story based in the heart of the Ming Dynasty’s Forbidden City.
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The Immortal Poet
Write a piece from the perspective of Li Bai, a famous Tang Dynasty poet, expressing his marvel or despair over current events.
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Fragile Silk Threads
Craft a narrative involving the discovery of silk during the Han Dynasty and its impact on society.
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The Jade Emperor’s Decree
Write a story about an order from the Jade Emperor during an ancient Chinese dynasty that changed the course of history.
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The Native Encounter
Imagine a meeting between pioneers and Native Americans. What does this meeting look like?
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Underneath the Prairie Sky
Write a letter from the perspective of a homesteader on the prairie to their family back home.
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Message in the Skies
You’re a young child who sees the Japanese planes fly over Pearl Harbor before the attack. Write about what you think they are and how you feel.
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Underwater Echoes
Imagine you are a diver exploring the wreckage of USS Arizona decades after the attack. Describe your journey and the emotions you experience.
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Valor in Battle
Write about the Pearl Harbor attack from the perspective of a nurse or medic under siege, doing everything they can to save lives.
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The Hour Before
Compose a narrative from the perspective of a Hawaiian resident in the hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Empathy Amid Destruction
Write a story about a U.S. soldier who, amid the chaos of Pearl Harbor, forms an unexpected connection with a Japanese soldier.
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Women of the Prohibition
Design a scenario of women’s contributions and reactions during the Prohibition Era.
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Innocent Bystander
Narrate a story set in the Prohibition era from the perspective of a child who doesn’t fully understand the situation.
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A Toast to the Bootleggers
Imagine being a bootlegger smuggling illegal alcohol during the Prohibition Era.
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Smoky Secrets
Write about a character who operates an underground speakeasy during the Prohibition Era.
