This week’s story starter is a little . . . unexpected!
It’s an image that Tracey sent me from a walk she took in autumn of last year, along the St Vigeans Nature Trail. This Trail offers two directions, one along the disused railway line to what was Colliston Station, and one along St Vigeans Den to the town.
It’s a woodpecker, carved out of wood, and wearing a school tie.
Unexpected, you could say!
I wondered if there might be some ideas here to help spark a story?
A choice of two directions
A choice of two directions. Which one will you take? I’m thinking of the episode of Doctor Who when Donna Noble has to decide to turn left, or right. And the film “Sliding Doors” – what happens if you do, or don’t, make it before the doors have closed; how events thereafter will change.
Walking. Nature trails. Wide open spaces.
Wood carving. Artisans. Craftspeople.
Seeing the beauty of our local areas more, perhaps, because of the current situation we’re in, where we’re encouraged to stay as close to home as possible.
Railway stations, no longer in use.
The unexpected. A surprise – parcel? Email? Job offer?
Out of the blue
A turn of events you didn’t expect. Better-than-anticipated results?
Something or someone turning out to be not quite as you’d expected. Angela’s Editor’s Diary this week being one very good example!
Things that happen out of the blue. This virus, for one thing.
And the school tie. It’s a tradition in the school my children attended, that on the last day of summer term, all the children leaving Primary Seven to go up to high school tied their tie on the tree at the school gate. A tie tree! So, school traditions. Ties, of all kinds.
Hope this helps spark some stories this week, and thank you Tracey, for the image.
Click here to pick out another Story Starter from Fiction Ed Lucy’s archive.
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!
