Building a Famous Landmark
Imagine you are compiling a documentary script about the construction of a famous landmark. Write a narrative that intertwines the technical challenges, the laborers' stories, and the political climate of the time.
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.
- End with something the reader can do or think about today.
- State your main point in one sentence before you start.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
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
- Inventions That Changed HistoryWrite an essay arguing the influence of a specific technological invention on the course of history. Use specific historical events and figures to…
- Letters Across TimeCreate a series of letters between two historical figures from different periods. Invent a scenario in which they can communicate through time…
- 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…
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