Which time period to explore in fiction writing?

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:11 pm

I want to write an historical short story (or novel potentially) and I'm trying to think of a time period in history that has not been explored so much yet. Any ideas for where the Frum writing market has gaps?

scruffy

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:13 pm

Probably hard to do research, but the time period of the Rishonim pre Inquisition.

1700s Early Chassidim/ Misnagdim era

mamaleh ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:31 pm

There was recently a short story in one of the magazines about the great Chicago fire. I don’t think I’ve ever read about that era before.

amother

Bone ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:33 pm

scruffy wrote:

Probably hard to do research, but the time period of the Rishonim pre Inquisition.

1700s Early Chassidim/ Misnagdim era

Ehh, there's enough true books on this subject. We don't need some fictional story on the opposition of the Besht and the chassidic movement.

Imo, the happening of every era that revolved around Jews has already been fully explored. I'd love to see a story of something like what life as like for a frum jew during the French Revolution, something that's never discussed when learning Jewish history because it didn't directly involve Jews, but it effected Jews.

amother

↑ Bone ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:35 pm

mamaleh wrote:

There was recently a short story in one of the magazines about the great Chicago fire. I don’t think I’ve ever read about that era before.

Exactly! Some unexplored 'insignificant' era that didn't just revolve around Jews but had an effect on the Jews. There's very little known about these times.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:38 pm

Yes that's the kind of idea I've been looking for! The French revolution and the Jews is a great idea!
Plot idea anyone? lol I enjoy writing but never actually get down to it...
I have dreams where I am reading invented fictional books...so I write in my dreams but not in real life Very Happy

↑ Ruchel ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:41 pm

There is a girl who convinced the authorities to allow matzes... Let me look for the name... the revolution was very anti religious, though most were priests, rabbis and reliigious people also suffered

I'm not finding, but there is
Rose, which had a secret mikve
That girl who was very famous, I'll ask on a yekke group
Moïse Pimentel for the matzes vs the authorities, a Sefardi '"Portuguese"

It would be very interesting to speak about the women in the times of tosfos

Last edited by Ruchel on Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Pearl

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:41 pm

amother OP wrote:

I’d actually love even further back, maybe like the Black Plague time

amother

Lightcoral

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 1:43 pm

What era fascinates you?
Please usually do best when they write what they love and know.

Kiwi13

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 2:01 pm

Maybe think about what kind of story you want to tell, and then explore how it might play out in various time periods and settings before you decide?

↑ mamaleh

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 2:01 pm

amother Bone wrote:

Exactly! Some unexplored 'insignificant' era that didn't just revolve around Jews but had an effect on the Jews. There's very little known about these times.

Jews in early colonial times would also be interesting.

amother

↑ Bone

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 2:02 pm

mamaleh wrote:

Jews in early colonial times would also be interesting.

There's a yiddish play on that so in my mind that was already covered Smile

Anyone familiar with interen krig?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 2:27 pm

amother Lightcoral wrote:

What era fascinates you?
Please usually do best when they write what they love and know.

Hmm good point. I've always loved Little House on the Prairie.

ETA: And also the lower east side times, like those books about the family of girls who live in the tenements, I think All of a kind Family

amother

Chicory

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 2:47 pm

The late 1600's and early 1700's, when the Jews first returned to England and had to build a Jewish life in a country where there had been no Jewish presence for four hundred years.

(My ancestors were among them, and I'm always fascinated by what prompted them to leave their homes, and how they managed setting up in a new country.)

↑ Ruchel

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 4:32 pm

mamaleh wrote:

Jews in early colonial times would also be interesting.

I did a mini thesis on that

Jews pro and against slavery... And how slavery is in the Torah

At the time you could discuss Jewish stuff in university

amother

Mintcream

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 4:35 pm

I would read anything, and I mean ANYTHING, set before the Industrial Revolution. Don't know why but I have an allergy to anything later than that.

amother

Tomato ↓

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 7:19 pm

Ruchel wrote:

Are you a Jewish history Mavin? Saw on another thread, the Amsterdam one maybe, that you're very knowledgeable in JH.

amother

↑ Tomato

Tue, Aug 27 2024, 7:20 pm

Ruchel wrote:

I did a mini thesis on that

Jews pro and against slavery... And how slavery is in the Torah

At the time you could discuss Jewish stuff in university

Yes I see you really a professional history guru!