Writer Prompt: Back to the 1800's

Lately, I've been experimenting with vintage images in my graphic designs. In my hunt for images, one of the sites I've visited the most is the Library of Congress page. Going through all the newspaper and magazine ads there, it's easy to get immersed in the culture of another time. In the world of a century or more ago, bicycles and typewriters were new and exciting. The ladies' fashions looked very uncomfortable. Pianos seemed to be hot sellers. Political opinions looked to be just as varied and heated as they are today.

What better way to learn about a society than to study it directly? From looking at the articles and the ads of that time, I've discovered that the people of the late 1800's and early 1900's loved a scandal just as much as the people of today. They loved entertainment (circuses, early movies, music). They sought cures for their ailments. And you could buy a new purse for 25 cents.

WRITING PROMPT: The Library of Congress images are a great place to start if you're looking for historical or steampunk story ideas. Browse through the newspapers, periodicals, photo collects, etc, in search of character tidbits, historical nuances to really round out your setting, or even find the inspiration for your plot in the headlines.

Here are a couple to get you started:

1. There are a lot of want ads on this page from 1898. Have your character respond to one. What happens?
2. This headline from 1907 would certainly make an exciting premise for a steampunk or retro suspense novel: Latest Discoveries Indicate that [Mars] is Peopled by a Race Superior to Mankind!

 Search the collection yourself and time travel into the past.

-MK
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MAKE BELIEVE MONDAY: Inspiration for Writers of a Utopian Future

     Last week, I wrote about dystopian / post-apocalyptic settings. This week, I'm going to write about the opposite: utopias. This is a much harder topic for me to discuss. I'm one of those people who's fascinated by old crumbling houses and rusted-out abandoned cars. I also like science-fiction more than fantasy. But I do have one manuscript I wrote - and it's my favorite manuscript, in fact - where my character lives in a utopia. It seems to be a utopia, anyway, but she soon discovers that it isn't. That's usually the case with these "perfect" places, where everything is supposedly harmonious and happy. Either there are dark secrets below the surface or some malicious outside force threatens the peace. Whatever you decide, I thought I'd brainstorm some utopian settings here and show you some inspirational pictures. (Remember: there's a lot more to building your utopia than setting, though. You'll need to decide everything from government to religion, philosophical belief, how your characters live day-to-day, etc).