Five Amazing Historical Facts That Could Inspire Your Next Story

By Lydia Turner | Guest Blog

Have you ever wondered where authors get their ideas? Sometimes it’s from dreams, or from the people you know. But some of the best story ideas have already happened in real life. History is full of daring escapes, unlikely heroes, mysterious events and unforgettable characters, and all it takes is one fascinating fact to spark an incredible piece of fiction.

That’s exactly what author Terry Deary does in his Terrible True Tales series. Each book takes real historical people, places and events and imagines what it would have been like to experience them through the eyes of a child. The result is historical fiction that’s exciting, witty and packed with adventure.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next story, here are five surprising moments from history that could become the start of something brilliant.

1. Soldiers really did stop fighting to play football

The First World War was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, but on Christmas Day 1914 something extraordinary happened. In some areas, British and German soldiers climbed out of their trenches, exchanged gifts, sang carols and even played football together.

Imagine you were there. Would your main character be a young messenger carrying letters between the trenches? A local child watching from afar? Or perhaps one of the soldiers?

A single true event can become countless different stories depending on whose eyes you tell it through. Terry Deary uses this remarkable moment as the inspiration for one of the stories in Terrible True Tales: First World War.

2. Ancient Rome had its own ghost stories

Do you think ghost stories are a modern invention? Think again. The Roman writer Pliny told the tale of a haunted house where mysterious chains could be heard rattling in the night. Whether people really believed in ghosts or whether there was another explanation is still up for debate.

Perhaps your main character is determined to prove the ghost is real. Or maybe they’re convinced it’s all a trick. It makes the perfect mystery!

This fascinating piece of history inspired The Grim Ghost in Terrible True Tales: Romans, showing how a real historical account can become a gripping adventure.

3. Workers building the pyramids weren’t afraid to complain

When you picture Ancient Egypt, you probably imagine the towering pyramids and powerful pharaohs, but the people who built those incredible monuments were real workers with real jobs, and real disagreements.

Imagine working on one of the greatest buildings ever created while trying to deal with a demanding boss or unfair treatment. Not fun!

These everyday struggles inspired The Plot on the Pyramid in Terrible True Tales: Egyptians, using the world’s most famous landmarks as the setting for an exciting story.

4. A Pirate Queen met the Queen of England

Pirates weren’t all fictional characters with parrots and treasure maps. Grace O’Malley, one of history’s most famous pirates, became so powerful that she met Queen Elizabeth I in person!

Would your character in this story be a servant in the palace? A cabin boy from Grace’s ship? Or someone secretly listening outside the room?

One real meeting between two extraordinary women opens up endless storytelling possibilities. Terry Deary explores this remarkable interaction in Terrible True Tales: Pirates.

5. Shakespeare’s actors had to perform during a plague

Life in Shakespeare’s theatre wasn’t always glamorous. Plague outbreaks regularly closed theatres, putting performances and livelihoods at risk.

Imagine you’ve finally landed the biggest role of your life, only to hear the theatre might close before opening night! How far would your character go to save the performance?

Terry Deary transforms this historical fact into a compelling story in Terrible True Tales: Shakespeare.

Turning facts into fiction

The best historical fiction doesn’t simply retell events from the past, it asks all sorts of questions.

- What if I had been there?
- Who might have witnessed this event?
- What would an ordinary child have thought or felt?
- What happened just before, or just after, the history books stop telling us the story?

Next time you come across a strange newspaper headline, visit a museum or learn about a fascinating historical event at school, don’t just remember it, ask yourself whether it could become your next story.