This week’s list of writing prompts is based on historical events from September. I will list the historical reference and then a prompt to use. I hope you like these September Writing Prompts and hope they provide you with a starting point for your writing this week. I used The History Place as a starting point for researching this weeks list – it’s a great resource for historical inspired writing prompts.
Instructions:
Pick your prompt, set your timer for 10 or 15 minutes and start writing! Freewrite, write a scene, story, a description, a conversation, a poem …Anything you want!
Prompt 1 – Monday
September 1, 1715 – King Louis XIV of France (the “Sun King”) died.
Prompt: The Sun King
Prompt 2 – Tuesday
September 2, 1752 – The British swapped from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, resulting in Wednesday, September 2, being followed by Thursday, September 14. This resulted in rioting by people who felt cheated.
Prompt: What happens when a calendar changes, and you lose 11 days.
Prompt 3 – Wednesday
September 3, 1833 – The New York Sun newspaper first appeared, marking the beginning of the ‘penny press’ (inexpensive newspapers sold on sidewalks by newspaper boys.)
Prompt: Penny Press and Newspaper Boys
Prompt 4 – Thursday
September 3, 1838 – Anti-slavery leader, Frederick Douglass began his escape from slavery by boarding a train in Baltimore dressed as a sailor.
Prompt: So much inspiration here – pick what you like for a prompt! e.g. Slavery, Escape, Train or Sailor.
Prompt 5 – Friday
September 4, 1609 – The island of Manhattan was discovered by navigator Henry Hudson.
Prompt: Discovery! Of Manhattan island, or anything else.
Prompt 6 – Saturday
September 5, 1997 – Mother Teresa died in Calcutta at age 87
Prompt: Mother Teresa, Calcutta, Missionary.
Prompt 7 – Sunday
September 7, 1533 – Queen Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich Palace, daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She took the throne in 1558 at age 25.
Prompt: Elizabeth I, Queen, Anne Boleyn, or King Henry VIII
I hope you find some inspiration from these September inspired writing prompts. If you have any questions or thoughts, please do not hesitate to leave me a comment below, and I will reply as soon as I can!
Happy Writing,
Erica
If you are looking for more historical writing prompts, come back next month for my list on October Writing Prompts, or go here to see my list of August Writing Prompts or just head over to a website like The History Place🙂
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