Shutterstock / Alf Ribeiro©I’ll kick off this story starter with a quote:
“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever”, according to Keats.
And surely it was never more apt than in the case of a Fabergé egg.
As my mum is in my “bubble”, we recently watched a really fascinating documentary together about the history of the Fabergé family.
Might it spark a short story or serial idea for you, this week?
Epic drama
Epic family stories, told over decades, or even a century or more, are a good basis for a serial. One example of this is the first book in our Classics Collection, “The River Calls Us Home”.
I’ve just finished reading an interesting novel called “Those Who Are Loved”, by Victoria Hislop. The family saga takes place against the backdrop of Greece’s turbulent history from the 1930s to the 1990s.
Interweaving historical facts with fictional characters works well for our fiction and serials, giving the events a human perspective.
Famous families. Dynasties.
Russia. What a beautiful country! What history, and what fascinating people. “Dr Zhivago” – the story is all about the people, caught up in the events, and how those events shaped lives.
Jewellers. Luxury goods makers. Gifts.
The Fabergé eggs. Each one unique, each containing a surprise.
Family businesses. Dads passing businesses onto sons and daughters!
Businesses evolving. And changing ways of life.
Real people in stories
I had an interesting conversation during my weekly meeting with Editor Angela this week, regarding featuring real people in our stories and serials.
If you’d like to include a character in your story who has actually lived, we can do that – for example, we recently featured a serial which included the character of Elizabeth Cromwell.
If the character lived many years ago, it’s unlikely that anyone would be offended by or find fault with our portrayal of them. But we must ensure to portray them as sensitively and accurately as possible.
Also, keep in mind that real people shouldn’t be your principal characters.
Keep that in mind if you plan to include real people as part of your next story or serial.
For another Story Starter from Fiction Ed Lucy, click here.
Lucy Crichton Better known as “Fiction Editor Lucy”, I am always on the look-out for the very best short stories, poems and pocket novels. As well as sourcing enjoyable content, I enjoy working with our established contributors, encouraging new talent, and celebrating 155 years of “Friend” fiction!
