Write an epistolary story set during a major historical event. The event may be the subject of the letters directly, or be referenced in the background.

Posted in Historical Fiction on Aug 18, 2023

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 30 stories

“The Amber letter” by Magdalena Brynard

A heavy shudder shook the window panes as she wrote. The rushed keys of the typewriter pounded in unison as mortar after mortar fell decimating the city. London was falling but the letter had to reach him by morning. Emily wrote as fast as her fingers could but the ink on the ribbon seemed to fade after every turn of the paper. She couldn’t run out of ribbon at this exact moment but try as she m...

15 comments 15

Read story

“Letters from Malaysian Flight 370” by Scott Christenson

[Voice message found in a mobile phone]Life is a mystery, isn’t it? One day we are in control of everything, taking exams, passing tests, choosing which job interview to attend. And then, if we work hard, we move up in our career, step by step.But the whole time, there’s a parallel universe that we don't control that affects us strongly. Our boyfriends get transferred to different cities, our employers go bankrupt, our friends get sick.I’ve made the right choices my entire life. I was ...

30 comments 30

Read story

“Despatches From the Home Front” by Katy B

Post Office Telegraphs. Augustine Madlain to Imogen Eley — (Received 3 August 1914) Believe war entry likely STOP Paris in uproar STOP Holiday enthusiasm STOP All very exciting STOP ᛭ Auggie10 October, 1914Dear Auggie,I was so glad to receive your letter last week. Imagine your marching in shirts and ties through the countryside — suppose a cow, for instance, had seen you? What must the poor creature have thought? And I don’t think it’s fair of ...

11 comments 11

Read story

“Let Your Hair Down” by Anne Abraham

Cornelia glanced with increasing annoyance at the date on the unopened envelope. August 1, 1910. Written in a nearly illegible scrawl that she immediately recognized as William’s. The letter had been resting in the top corner of her bureau for the past week. She refused to open it. There were other things to do in her life that were more important than reading that letter. She had written to William in April, a...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Hopeless Gimmering” by Gary Phipps

August 3rd, 1849 Reached this lonesome valley today, a real marvel under God's sky. The land stretches endlessly, its only partners being distant mountains and a beckoning stream's song. The journey was a trial, boots laden with mud, spirits weighed by tales of men who came and departed with empty pockets. In my pocket, though, is this curious shiny stone. Not yet gold, but whispering of i...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Christmas Truce: Letters from the Western Front” by Jonathan Page

The Christmas Truce[Christmas Truce of 1914 (World War I)]“The thing started last night – a bitter cold night, with white frost – soon after dusk when the Germans started shouting 'Merry Christmas, Englishmen' to us. Of course our fellows shouted back and presently large numbers of both sides had left their trenches, unarmed, and met in the debatable, shot-riddled, no man's land between the lines. Here the agreement – all on their own – ca...

3 comments 3

Read story

“In the DLD” by Kimberly Walker

In the DLD Nothing vaguely interesting ever happened in the DLD. How could it, with a name like the Dead Letter Department? It is where undeliverable mail goes to die in any city. Usually, it’s only a missed spelled last name or street name. Occasionally, someone may transpose a house number or leave off an alphabet like “54 C Sunset Ct.” at...

7 comments 7

Read story

“HOW WE WHERE MADE” by JarJar Giles

I grew up in a little town in rural south Alamba with my older brother and two sisters. Now when we were young, there was no gentle parenting like there is now-a-days. So our father was big in the community, like a dad to everyone or maybe brother, grandpa. You get my drift, anyway the time we had growing up was just terrible. We were raised a certain way, taught to act a certain way and if you didn't adhere to what ma or pa said you was taught a rathe harsh lesson. Being big in a small town it had its pro's but it also had its con's. So ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Letters to a Heartfelt Island” by D.J.J. MIZZI

Letters to a Heartfelt Island June 2, 1939, London, England. Dear Mikiel, It’s extremely difficult to know how to start a letter, especially to someone you’ve never met; in the same way it’s difficult to speak to a stranger. But it becomes easier once you get started, and after that it gets easier still. In the end you’re glad for it because you’v...

0 comments 0

Read story

“THE WAR TO END ALL WARS” by Charles Corkery

THE WAR TO END ALL WARS August 9th 1914 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx My darling Gertie I write this brief letter shortly before we embark. The two horses are stowed safely. Altogether, there are xx cavalry divisions crossing the channel tonight and conditions a...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Operation: Jager Hunt” by Rudy Senecal

The air parade that seems to happen every night at this point continues until it drowns out all other sounds. The letter is on the table next to her. For a moment, Eve wonders if she should read it. She sips the tea clasped in her hands and looks at the flag outside her window. Its black, red, and white colors flutter in the soft winter breeze. She looks to the bedroom door across the hall, her husband is most likely sound asleep by now. January 3rd, 1941 T...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Pickles” by Yvonne Scott

It’s Labor Day afternoon, 2020. I take my seat in the tight semi-circle of my two cousins and their kids outlining the cluttered work area in the middle of my uncle and aunt’s small living room. My uncle fumbles or maybe trembles, I can’t tell, as he searches among his precarious stacks of papers, books, and magazines arrayed on tables behind him. His angular bowed body and sagging skin retain only the faintest whisper o...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Letters from Borneo” by Padmini Sankar

Letters from Borneo Jesselton British North Borneo 9th December 1941 Dear Appa, My respects and namaskarams to you and Amma. You may perhaps be wondering why I am writing to you so soon after my last letter, to which I have not yet received your reply. Appa, a big event o...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Monkey Tale” by H.e. Ross

Heppy lived in a small apartment right in the centre of the ‘Mo, short of Fillmore District in San Francisco. The neighbourhood used to be rough with fights, very loud music and the occasional shots. I loved it as a kid growing up sort of like in the wild west. When he passed there were a lot of people at the funeral. Heppy was well liked by most of the people acquainted with him in the ‘Mo. I liked him but of course he ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Poplar Tree ” by Christina Cooper

The Poplar Tree Christina Cooper January 16th, 1952 Dear Jane, I have got to tell you something huge, but you can’t tell anybody. Remember when we were talking at Christmas and you told me that this was my year, that I would fall in love? Well, I think you may be right. I’ve always known him a little bit, or kn...

9 comments 9

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of a letter, or multiple letters back and forth.

Short Story – 151 stories

Write a story about a pair of pen pals.

Character – 28 stories

A mysterious letter is delivered to your character's home. It's not addressed to them, but they can't resist peeking...

Mystery – 68 stories

Set your story in a post office.

Fiction – 37 stories

Contest #212

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

$250

Prize money

314

Contest entries

131

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 25, 2023 EST

Won by Wendy M 🏆

Title: The Last Of The Bright Young Things

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write an epistolary story set during a major historical event. The event may be the subject of the letters directly, or be referenced in the background.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 30 stories

“The Amber letter” by Magdalena Brynard

“Letters from Malaysian Flight 370” by Scott Christenson

“Despatches From the Home Front” by Katy B

“Let Your Hair Down” by Anne Abraham

“Hopeless Gimmering” by Gary Phipps

“The Christmas Truce: Letters from the Western Front” by Jonathan Page

“In the DLD” by Kimberly Walker

“HOW WE WHERE MADE” by JarJar Giles

“Letters to a Heartfelt Island” by D.J.J. MIZZI

“THE WAR TO END ALL WARS” by Charles Corkery

“Operation: Jager Hunt” by Rudy Senecal

“Pickles” by Yvonne Scott

“Letters from Borneo” by Padmini Sankar

“Monkey Tale” by H.e. Ross

“The Poplar Tree ” by Christina Cooper

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of a letter, or multiple letters back and forth.

Write a story about a pair of pen pals.

A mysterious letter is delivered to your character's home. It's not addressed to them, but they can't resist peeking...

Set your story in a post office.

Contest #212

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

314

Contest entries

131

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: