Image by Please Don’t sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay
With the new regime, I don’t have a lot of time to go into detail, but I think you have the gist of things by now. Simply choose one of the topics, and then brainstorm. Fiction and non-fiction; topical and evergreen.
The Godfather
Fifty years ago next year, on 15 March 1972, The Godfather premiered. Who starred in this iconic film*? What else have they appeared in? Did any of the actors vanish off the face of the earth after appearing in this film?
How did the rest of the Godfather franchise pan out? Are there any other films based on the same theme, or parodies of the original? Could you write something for one of the film magazines?
Since this film was made, there have been lots of mafia-based films and stories. Could you write a story or a script around a mafia family? Are you an investigative journalist who wants to uncover continued organised crime?
Where in the world do we associate the mafia and organised crime? Can you write a travel article on, say, Sicily? Or how about setting something in Colombia? Scotland has recently featured heavily on the subject too. What’s that all about?
And, finally, what are the origins of the term ‘mafia’?
* I am English, therefore I use the term 'film' rather than 'movie'.
St Patrick’s Day
This is an evergreen, as it occurs on 17 March every year. And, as it happens, today is St Patrick’s Day. (Happy Day to all those celebrating!)
This morning I saw the term “plastic Paddies” on a Facebook post. What are they? Could you write something about the non-Irish who are suddenly Irish on this day every year?
The celebration means that at least once a year you can write something Irish-based, be it a travel feature, a personality profile, a short story, a serial, and flog it on the back of today’s date. If you base a novel against it, your publisher (or you) could wheel it out every single year. 🤨
What can you find out about St Patrick? Who was he? What did he do? Does it inspire you to research further?
Spring Equinox
Here is another evergreen.
Every year around 20 March it is the spring or vernal equinox. I say ‘around’ because while most sources say it’s 20 March, others say it’s 21 March.
And while some sources say that the equinox is the first day of spring, others say it is 21 March and yet others say it’s 1 March. Or in the UK at least.
What is the difference between these fluctuating beliefs? Does science have anything to do with any of it? When does spring officially start where you live?
There are a lot of myths, legends and fairy stories that are set against this time of year. Which ones can you find out about that are a bit different? How can you weave your findings into your writing?
Over to you …
… and don’t forget to come back and let me know if and what you did, and how it fared.
