Letters Across Time
Create a series of letters between two historical figures from different periods. Invent a scenario in which they can communicate through time, discussing their views on governance, philosophy, or culture, and revealing how their specific contexts shaped their opinions.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
- Open with a specific story, then widen out to the big idea.
Writing history books
What happened, why, and why it still matters.
History books explain the past, from sweeping surveys of civilizations to microhistories of a single object or day. The bestsellers read like novels: real people, real stakes, and an argument about what it all meant.
What readers expect
- Rigorous research and sources
- People at the center of events
- An argument, not just a timeline
- Connections to the present
A tip before you start
Build it around people and turning points, not dates. A reader follows a person through a decade far more willingly than a decade by itself.
More History prompts
- The Unsolved ConspiracyInvestigate a historical conspiracy or unsolved mystery. Construct a detailed account from multiple perspectives (e.g., a detective, a witness, a…
- A Letter Before the RevealWrite a letter from the perspective of a lesser-known figure during a major historical event. Describe their observations, fears, and hopes without…
- A Day in a Forgotten LifeChoose a lesser-known historical figure and write a detailed account of a day in their life. Incorporate authentic historical details that reveal…
- The Invention Before the BreakthroughSelect an invention that changed the course of history. Write a narrative exploring the initial failures and challenges faced by the inventor(s)…
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