59+ ‘Century’ Writing Prompts
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Understanding Decimal Notation
Write an essay to explain decimal notation to a person from the 12th century.
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Gift of the Magi Redux
Write a story that is a modern day retelling of the ‘Gift of the Magi’ story. Make the setting contemporary and the characters relatable to today’s readers.
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Life as a Child on the Oregon Trail
What would life be like if you were a child traveling on the Oregon Trail towards the West in the 19th century?
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Contemporary Resurrection
What would the resurrection of Jesus look like if it took place in the present day?
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Time-Traveling Cowboy
A cowboy accidentally falls into a time portal and lands in modern times, trying to make sense of city life while handling his cowboy duties.
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Alien Outlaw
A space ship crash lands near a small western town, the alien within takes the guise of a notorious outlaw from the Wild West.
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Transylvanian Tribulations
Imagine living in Transylvania during the 15th Century, where tales of powerful vampires are a part of everyday culture.
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Lost Love Letter
Pen a tale about a century-old love letter, discovered in an antique desk bought on Valentine’s Day.
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Past Lives, Future Adventures
Write a story where you wake up 100 years in the past. How do you adjust to life without modern technology?
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Retro-Futuristic Guardian
Envision a superhero in a mid-20th century future, as predicted by people of the past.
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SteamPunk Sentinel
Visualize a superhero during the Victorian Era, exploring the intersections of advanced technology, society, and morality.
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St. Patrick’s Day Parade: The First March
Imagine you are an Irish immigrant in NYC in the 18th century participating in the first St. Patrick’s Day parade. Describe your feelings, motivations, and experiences.
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A Century of Rest
Write about a vampire waking up from a 100-year slumber in a completely changed world.
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The Unsettling Town of Salem
Write a chilling short story derived from the events of the Salem Witch Trials.
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The Nocturnal Proposal
Imagine a story where a vampire decides to propose to their human lover after a century of courtship.
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Women’s Rights March
Write a letter to Susan B. Anthony detailing your thoughts on the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls.
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Sleeping Beauty and Time Travel
Sleeping Beauty wakes up not 100 years later from her own time, but in the 21st century after a scientific experiment goes wrong.
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A Modern Marley’s Warning
Write a 21st-century version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, focusing on the haunting visits Marley and the Christmas spirits pay to Scrooge.
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Reshaping The Ripper
Imagine if Jack the Ripper was active in today’s world, what layers would this case take?
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Intertwining Realities
Write a piece that blends a contemporary setting with elements of a famous novel or play.
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Peaceful Dracula
Rewrite Dracula’s story as a reluctant vampire seeking a cure for his condition in the 21st century.
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The Diary of a Pioneer
Write a series of diary entries from the perspective of a pioneer traveling west during the 19th-century American expansion.
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Trail of Tears Retelling
Write about the experiences of a Cherokee family during the Trail of Tears.
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Immortal Blues
Write about the emotional toll of immortality on a vampire living in the 21st century.
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The Glass Slipper Startup
Cinderella starts a modern-day, successful online business selling comfortable and custom-made glass slippers.
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Unexpected Despatches
Imagine you’re a telegraph operator in the 19th century who intercepts a series of love messages. Write about how you would react to watching the love story unfold.
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Spirit of the American Frontier
Pen a story about a pioneer family journeying West during the 19th century American expansion.
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A Bite Into The Future
Project your thoughts about how the future of food might look like in the next century.
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The New Hero’s Journey
Craft a narrative about a twenty-first century individual who realizes they must embark on a hero’s journey, as found in mythology.
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Mother of Invention
What if electricity hadn’t been harnessed until the 21st century? Write a story on how the world would have developed technology without electricity.
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The Cellar Secrets
Describe finding an old, eerie cellar hidden underneath the house you just moved into.
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Forgotten Feast
Imagine a traditional holiday feast from a century ago, and describe what might be on the table.
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Message in the Morse Code
Imagine it’s the 19th century and you’ve learned Morse Code, write a message you’d send to a friend living in another state.
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Journey on the Oregon Trail
Picture being part of a family traveling on the Oregon Trail in the 19th century, narrate your experiences.
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Life in the Colonial Times
Create a fictional character and describe their everyday life in the New World during the Colonial period.
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The Vanishing Maestro
Write about a famous conductor who mysteriously disappeared following his greatest performance in 19th century Austria.
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Upholders of Freedom
Imagine you are an abolitionist helping slaves escape via the Underground Railroad.
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Journey as an Immigrant
Imagine migrating to America in the early 20th century. What brought you here and what was your journey like?
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Anachronistic Adventures
Write a fairy tale about a character from a past era suddenly appearing in a more recent period.
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Inside the Suffragettes
Imagine you’re a suffragette at the turn of the 20th century fighting for women’s right to vote.
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The Grim Almanac
Author a story about an old farmer’s almanac that brings the written predictions to life, with a sinister twist.
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Haunted Mansion Secrets
Write a ghostly narrative about a well-known Gothic mansion hiding century-old secrets.
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“Jane Austen’s Follies”
Develop a modern story using the characters and scenarios from Pride and prejudice.
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Romancing the Renaissance
Write a love story between characters from 21st-century popular culture who find themselves in the enchanting yet tumultuous period of the Renaissance.
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Weimar Republic Rendezvous
Create a crossover narrative where iconic 20th-century figures meet in the vibrant yet volatile setting of the Weimar Republic.
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Victorian Love in the Unknown
Imagine a love story between two characters from a 19th-century novel setting within an alternate, steampunk universe.
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Memoirs of a Geisha
Write from the perspective of a geisha in the 19th century, exploring her life, aspirations, and challenges.
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Impressionist’s Diary
You are an impressionist painter living in the 19th century France, describe a day in your life.
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Turn of the Century
Write about the lives of citizens during the turn from the 19th to the 20th century, in a bustling city.
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Golden Age of Piracy
Imagine being a pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean. What is your life like, and what lead you to this way of life?
