Shutterstock / Yuganov Konstantin©The new year is upon us, so let’s use it as inspiration for this week’s writing prompt. If your resolution is to write more, then here’s the perfect excuse to get started!
Midnight Kiss
What better structure for a romance could there be than the midnight kiss? It’s so perfect that it’s in danger of being a cliché! Is there a way this romantic tradition could be made fresh in a story?
It’s not just the midnight kiss that can spark romance at this time of the year. It also seems like a good time for a character to finally confess their love to somebody.
Timeless tradition
This time of year could also lend itself well to a historical story.
New Year celebrations have been around for thousands of years. Is there a story there – in the old traditions and beliefs?
Or is there a specific event in history you could focus on? For example, the first New Year celebration in Times Square was held in 1904, with the first New Year’s Eve Ball in 1907. Of course, there was also the panic around the Y2K bug in 1999!
Around the world
To make your contemporary story a little different, take a look at the traditions that are observed around the world at New Year.
In Spain, there is a tradition of eating twelve grapes before the last stroke of midnight. In Mexico, eating lentil soup before midnight or leaving lentils outside your front door is believed to bring luck. In Greece, people hang an onion outside their door.
There are plenty more to take inspiration from, too.
Endings and beginnings
While there are those who don’t see much difference in December 31 and January 1, for many it’s a time of renewal. People reflect on the year past and look towards the future.
Will your character make a new year resolution? Maybe they don’t believe in making them.
Has your character been through a particularly tough year? It can be quite a cathartic time – a time of letting go and moving forward.
What chapter of their life is ending, and what new door is opening?
That’s all the writing prompts we have for this year. We hope you found them inspiring. Look forward to more story starters from us in the new year – and we’ll look forward to your stories!
Abigail Phillips Abbie is the newest member of the fiction team at the "Friend." She loves how varied the role is - every day is different and there is always a new story to read. She is keen to work closely with established writers and discover new writers, too.
