I am sure many writers are asked where they get their ideas, and the answer is, all around us. The people we talk to, the books we read, billboards we pass by and even the television programmes we watch provide fodder worth investigating. History is also a huge resource, the most famous recent example being the Game of Thrones series by George R R Martin.
However, you don’t need to be a history buff to incorporate it into your writing. You can focus on something local and that has some resonance to you. I talked a little bit about this in a previous blog post about Bonfire Night here in the UK.
In a similar vein, this week, on November 30th, is St Andrew’s Day here in Scotland. That got me to do a little digging, as I’ve never given him much thought before!
Turns out, not only is he the patron saint of Scotland, but Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Ukraine and Tenerife, amongst others. And it appears he is the lesser-known brother of St Peter!
Saltire flag
Another little known fact is that the Saltire Cross is St Andrew’s cross. It features not only in the Scottish flag, but also those of Tenerife and the Confederate flag in the US.
The Saltire Cross represents the cross upon which St Andrew was crucified, rather than the more upright one upon which Jesus was crucified.
Who was St Andrew?
Born in Galilee, St Andrew and his brother St Peter, were fishermen, who later became two of Jesus’s disciples. Rather randomly, St Andrew’s in Scotland is named after him because it is thought that was where he was laid to rest.
Who is your patron saint?
Regardless of your religious beliefs, the Bible stories offer a rich source of inspiration. How did your national saint go from an ordinary man to someone who is believed to have performed miracles or been part of Jesus’s inner circle? What might their relationship with Jesus have been like? What did they chat about? Was it all work and no play?
There is both a physical and emotional journey for anyone who ends up on a crucifix! What was your saint’s journey? How are they remembered in your community? Can you bring their story up-to-date and make it relevant to the modern world?
Modern stories that are inspired by the Bible
It’s well known that Narnia series of books are allegories of the Bible stories. Aslan was all good, Jadis (the White Witch) was all bad. The children were Aslan’s disciples.
The Grapes of Wrath is thought to reflect the mass exodus of the Herbrew people. In this case California is the promised land
And of course the Lord of the Rings is a statement on JRR Tolkein’s view of Christianity. Even Harry Potter has Christian references sprinkled throughout.
Non-Christian faiths
Perhaps you come from a non-christian background? I’m sure your faith or religion has many myths and legends, heroes and influential leaders who have led extraordinary lives? Can their stories be brought up to date to fit in with a modern setting? Share them with us here, and tell us which is your favourite.
Local history
I love stories that incorporate local legends and history. I wrote about this recently in my Bonfire Night blog post. Everywhere we look we find fascinating stories in our local communities.
In that post I encouraged you to look for local traditions and folklore. I invite you to expand that search to your local saint or spiritual leader. Explore their life and why your community adopted them. What was it about them that resonated with your community?
Scotland has historically been a nation of fishermen and crofters, of whom St Andrew is a patron saint. It makes sense that when Scotland became independent in 1320 he was formally adopted by the nation. St Andrew’s Day became an official holiday in 2006.
Modern life?
Can you take that story of your saint and update it? Can you transpose them into your local community today and explore what role they might play and how modern society might respond to them?
A number of authors have used the saints in their work. For example, Jess Kidd incorporated a number of them, including St Valentine, in her recent book The Hoarder.
There is the Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin, which tells the story of Jesus through Mary’s eyes.
What books have you read that incorporate the lives of saints or other holy leaders?
A challenge
I challenge you to write a 2000 word short story, and submit it to a competition. Let me know how you get on, you will inspire both me and others.
If you haven’t already, sign up to my Reader’s List and I’ll send you my free short story, Before She Came Home.
