Shipwrecked in the Highlands
In 1719, a shipwreck off the coast of Scotland throws together an unlikely pair: a Scottish merchant destined for the American colonies and a mysterious woman fleeing persecution in Scandinavia. Stranded in the harsh Highlands, they must rely on each other to survive. Detail their evolving relationship, the secrets they uncover, and the historical backdrop of a turbulent Europe.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
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.
- Let your character believe something about their world that turned out to be wrong.
- Give the hero a rule of the era they have to break.
- Choose one real detail of the period, like a price, a law or a song, and build a scene around it.
Writing historical fiction
Step into another time and feel what it was like.
Historical fiction is set in the past, usually at least 50 years before it was written. Real events and people often appear, but the story belongs to its characters. Readers come for the immersion: the smells, the rules, the dangers of a world that's gone.
What readers expect
- A vivid, well-researched setting
- Real events as backdrop or engine
- Characters shaped by their era
- Details that feel lived, not looked up
A tip before you start
Research deeply, show lightly. One telling detail in a scene beats a paragraph of facts.
More 18th Century Historical Fiction prompts
- The Manor's Spy LettersIn 1780, a young woman inherits a derelict manor in the English countryside. Upon moving in, she discovers a series of hidden letters that suggest her…
- The Carnevale Mask MakerWrite a story set in 18th-century Venice during the decadence of Carnevale. Your protagonist is a mysterious mask maker whose creations are said to…
- The Woman in the ArmySet during the 1790s in colonial America, imagine the life of a woman who disguises herself as a man to join the army. Describe her experiences in…
- A Lady at VersaillesImagine you are a lady-in-waiting in the court of King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Narrate the events leading up to the fall of the…
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