As writers and readers, we want greatness in our novels… and as hard as it can be, taping into the horrors of history and life in general can elevate our writing from good to great… and if there is one thing the world provides in abundance, it is the horror of life… I heard a quote on Criminal Minds once: Life is a Horrible Thing to happen to a Person… the atrocities of life are all around us… and as writers, we can tap into that to make our stories the ones that readers come back to again and again…

Something close to my own heart, and bound to make me madder than a wet hen… the Trail of Tears… I don’t know how my ancestors avoided that horrible walk, but am extremely grateful… (Ky born and bred) … but now we have *lets not name that horrible presidential candidate* People spouting hate and ideas reminiscent of Hitler… and I ask, will the white people never learn… if I could I would smack my Irish side silly… 😛 … but seriously… the horrors the Indians endured (and omg, you should read up on Canada) is heartbreaking… all because a greater power didn’t understand their ways, and wanted to punish and take from them…

stories can be found in most countries about hate and fear… yes, fear… because it is human nature to hate and fear the unknown or different… and it is a sad fact that the larger the group of like minded people, the greater the risk of harm … it is a fear that can span generations… your MC could be from either side of this sad plight… after so much pain caused by slavery and the KKK, fear is alive on both sides…

Ku Klux Klansmen in full regalia, march around the town square, Swainsboro, Georgia, USA, Feb. 4th, 1948, prior to burning a cross outside the Emanuel County Courthouse. They paraded in full regalia for the first time since the nineteen-twenties, when the klan was in its heyday. (AP Photo)

The Armenian Genocide in Turkey is another source of pain and backstory for your MC… especially those writing historicals, or paranormals with characters that have longer than average lives… women tattoo and forced into marriages or sex slavery… or the Christian woman that were nailed naked on crosses… there are so many horrible things in this world… don’t be afraid to use them…

and of course… Hitler… one of the well known horrors, but there were soo many other stories happening that didn’t focus wholly on that evil man… there was the Bitch of Buchenwald (not sure of spelling)… she had Jews killed if she admired their tattooing, and then had the skin made into lampshades… but there was also the woman that managed to smuggle out thousands of Jewish children using her social worker connections…

and that is the point… by writing about the horrors, you get to have an MC that is capable of being the hero… of adding emotions and depth to your story…

okay… enough of the heavy talk… here is a pinterest writing prompts… when you are done looking up all those ugly facts about life so that you can create the perfect story, sit back and relax by starting out your MC with a spring activity, something they can do while you add a little dialogue to your story… happy wordage, tracey