Issue #7: All in good time

On finding ideas in old books, an exercise in time travel, and five writing prompts

May 22, 2025

Hello, petits amis!

Thanks for being here. I hope spring has sprung wherever you are in the world, and that you’re making progress towards your writing goals.

New uses for old books

Photo: Aflo Images / Canva

Many years ago, I inherited the full set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica for 2002. The books were an unexpected gift from an elderly woman who was cleaning house before moving into an assisted-living home.

The books were quite impressive. The black binding looked sober and official, an impression strengthened by the logo, which was an engraved gold thistle. The spines bore orange “For Library Use Only” stickers that I couldn’t remove without damaging the covers. I wondered whether the elderly woman had really picked them up at a “Friends of the Library” book sale like she said, or if the books had been pilfered.

I donated the set when I moved house a few years ago. I miss flipping through the pages to read up on 2002’s views on “Globalization and Culture,” “Madonna,” and “Terrorism,” and entries written by the likes of Milton Friedman, Carl Sagan, and Michael DeBakey.

The woman also gifted me with two newspaper style guides, Whitaker’s Almanac 2000, and The Unofficial Guide to Hockey’s Most Unusual Records.

Collecting non-fiction books is a quirk of mine. I just can’t say no when I find them, even if they will eventually lose their currency. (I’m a lifelong learner and believe that any topic has interesting learning potential.) Here’s an example: Rummaging through a pile of books left out on the curb for junk pick-up day, I came across a third edition of Written Communication in Business, a college textbook published in 1971. There was an entire chapter on dictation, and, of course, no mention of email.

While I couldn’t use the book for personal professional development, it gave me a better picture of the mechanics and context of business communication in the ‘70s. What would a business student need to know before sitting down to write a report? Was the semi-colon as contested as it is today? How has resume writing changed in the past 35 years? (Would you believe readers were advised to include their height and weight in a job application?)

While some second-hand pieces of my library find their way up to the cottage — Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber being the most likely to be transported — books like the communication textbook will probably stay right where they are, tucked away on a shelf in the basement, ready for when I want to get a sense of days gone past. The same goes for other out-of-date gems, like my second edition of Fowler’s Modern English Usage, a decades-old Canadian atlas, and a book on the best home-based businesses of the ‘90s.

I know these books have lost their immediacy and have become old-fashioned, irrelevant, archaic. But these same resources can take me back in time. They offer up language, context, and ideas that can inform my own writing. They offer new worlds for me to explore — worlds peopled with characters I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.

Flipping through The Unofficial Guide to Hockey’s Most Unusual Records, I wonder what kind of person is interested in a book like this? Or what’s it like to be the NHL player with the most concussions in a career?

With Written Communication in Business, I could be inspired to write about a woman who teaches old-school secretarial etiquette, coming face-to-face with the rise of feminism in her classroom. Who was she? And what about the students taking her class? How will Roe v. Wade change their lives? Will they watch the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match?

Maybe I’ll write a story about an elderly woman who steals the 2002 Encyclopaedia Britannica, one volume at a time, from her local library.

Beyond inspiration, these books remind me that all I can do in my own writing is document an authentic moment in time. By recording my observations and perspectives, or those of my characters, I can give a future someone a glimpse into that moment.

Do you have any out-of-date treasures in your library that could spark new ideas?

Maria

Writing exercise: Taking your characters back in time

Photo: Pixbox 77 for Getty Images Pro / Canva

Reading old books is one way to get to know what life was like in the past. But going back in time is also a great way to get to know your characters a bit better.

Consider time travel. What historic moment would your characters want to observe, and why is that moment important to them? Which notable people would they want to meet? Do they look up to that person as a role model, or do they want to wipe that person out of the history books?

Here's an exercise for taking your characters back in time.

Step 1 – Interview your character: Answer these questions in your character’s voice:

If you could go back to any time in history, where would you go? Why then and there?
What do you hope to find or do?
What scares you about going?

Step 2 – Take them through the portal: Write a scene where your character is transported to that time period. Include the following: What do they see, hear, and smell? Who is the first person they meet? What happens to force them to make a choice or reveal something about themselves?

Step 3 – Reflect on what you found out: Write a short journal entry (as yourself) reflecting on what you learned about your character. Why did they choose to go to that time period, and does that motivation influence their behaviour or personality in your WIP? Were they brave and excited, or anxious and reluctant? How did they behave when they encountered surprising situations or people? Did they change something that will affect the future? If so, what does that tell you about them?

Have fun with this exercise. What you discover won’t necessarily make it into your WIP, but it can help you better understand your character’s motivations, internal conflict, and deep desires.

Writing prompts: Time will tell

Le français suivra l'anglais.

Here are some writing prompts inspired by the theme of time travel. Pick whichever one speaks to you.

Write a scene where your character meets someone who says they’re from the future. They try to convince your character to do something outlandish to protect the future timeline.
A new time-travel agency coordinates visits back in time to historical moments. Write about the newest time-travel agent being trained their first day on job.
Using only dialogue, write about a 10-minute meeting with your younger self, at any age you wish. Make the meeting happen somewhere unexpected.
Two lovers from different centuries can only meet for a 24-hour period each year. How do they make their next meeting count?
A time-travelling thief is stealing artifacts around the world — and they’re getting sloppy. What happens when the detectives finally track them down?

Some tips:

Before you start, set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep writing until the timer dings. Avoid going back to re-read or edit your writing. Don’t aim for perfection; just keep going. After the timer dings, feel free to put your pen down and congratulate yourself on your mini-but-amazing writing achievement for the day. If you’re on a roll, don’t stop!

Did you come up with a variation on one of these prompts? Do share!

Suggestions d'écriture : L'avenir nous le dira

Voici quelques suggestions d'écriture inspirées par le thème du voyage dans le temps. Choisissez celui qui vous parle.

Rédigez une scène dans laquelle votre personnage rencontre quelqu'un qui dit venir du futur. Cette personne essaie de convaincre votre personnage de faire quelque chose de bizarre pour protéger la ligne temporelle du futur.
Une nouvelle agence de voyage dans le temps coordonne des visites dans le passé à des moments historiques. Racontez la formation du nouvel agent de voyage dans le temps lors de son premier jour de travail.
En utilisant uniquement des dialogues, racontez une rencontre de 10 minutes avec votre jeune moi, à l'âge de votre choix. Faites en sorte que la rencontre ait lieu dans un endroit inattendu.
Deux amoureux de siècles différents ne peuvent se rencontrer que pendant 24 heures par an. Comment peuvent-ils faire en sorte que leur prochaine rencontre compte ?
Un voleur voyageant dans le temps dérobe des artefacts dans le monde entier — et il devient négligent. Que se passe-t-il lorsque les détectives finissent par les retrouver ?

Quelques conseils :

Avant de commencer, réglez une minuterie de 10 à 15 minutes. Continuez à écrire jusqu'à ce que le minuteur sonne. Évitez de revenir en arrière pour relire ou modifier votre texte. Ne visez pas la perfection ; continuez simplement à écrire. Une fois que le minuteur a sonné, n'hésitez pas à poser votre stylo et à vous féliciter d'avoir réussi à écrire une petite partie de votre journée. Si vous avez le vent en poupe, ne vous arrêtez pas !

Avez-vous imaginé une variante de l'une de ces suggestions ? N'hésitez pas à nous en faire part !

Translation provided by DeepL and my own meagre French skills. / Traduction assurée par DeepL et mes maigres compétences en français.

Thanks for reading this issue of Petits écrits / Tiny writings! I hope it inspired you in some way.

Did you complete one of these prompts or exercises? Go on and share it with another creative writer in your life!