Vintage Inspiration: Using Old Postcards To Jump-Start Your Stories

Even the most prolific writer sometimes struggles with what to write next.

Oh, sure, you might have notebooks full of story ideas, characters demanding to be brought to life, and plot points that simply have to be explored, but even then, paralysis can set in.

There’s just so much to write about! How do you choose where to go next?

Whether you’re writing flash fiction, short stories, novels, or narrative nonfiction, there will come a moment when you’re stuck about what comes next.

When that happens, consider taking a break and getting some inspiration from an unlikely source: your local antique shop or flea market.

For one, getting out and about can refresh your mind, allowing your creativity to flow more freely and helping you focus better.

For another, these are great places to find a bottomless source of inspiration: vintage postcards.

These little slices of history give you two different ways to get inspired.

First, the images themselves are often stories in waiting—the detailed scenes, with or without people in them, are a fertile starting ground for plotting out a new creation.

Second, you can draw on the messages on the back to craft new dialogue, scenarios, and adventures.

New York Times bestseller Ransom Riggs used this technique to help create Miss Peregrin’s Home for Peculiar Children, using his own collection of creepy vintage photographs along with others gathered by fellow collectors.

Head out to your local flea market or antique shop and look for boxes upon boxes of postcards, often filed by location or topic. You’ll find everything from vintage travel postcards from around the world to cards highlighting certain products and services.

The inspirational possibilities are endless!

Don’t have a flea market nearby? Click over to eBay or Etsy and search for “vintage postcard.”

We’ve rounded up some fantastic vintage postcards to help get you started.

Here’s a challenge: Pick one and write a flash fiction piece, then share it in the comments!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for more vintage postcard inspiration? Check out these sites:

• VintagePostcards.com: A huge collection, organized by topic
• CardCow: Lots of images, often from the late 1800s and early 1900s, organized by topic
• The Postcard Shoppe: A little more complicated to search, but lots of beautiful painted images and unusual cards
• Mary L. Martin: If you’re on your way to becoming an avid deltiologist (that is, postcard collector), you’ll find plenty of resources on this website, which includes a huge shop, plus event listings for collectors, though it isn’t as easy to search as some other sites
• VintagePostcards.org: Another huge collection of cards, searchable by topic

 

Vintage postcards and found photos are a great way to get inspired to write.

For more writing inspiration, read on:

• Found Dialogue: Using the Art of Eavesdropping for Better Fiction
• 17 Spring Quotes to Inspire You
• Chart-Topping Stories: Musical Inspiration for Your Fiction