Writing Prompts Based on Death, the Afterlife, and Celebration of Life

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Hannah Conti.  Please read more about Hannah in the footer.

Death continues to be a virtually inexhaustible source of inspiration for writers. The mystery of the afterlife (or lack thereof), the fear of death, ghosts or spirits, spiritual battles, and so on continue as popular literary themes.

These are not subjects to be limited to thrillers and teen-aged vampire books; reconciling oneself with death, loss, and spirituality has been central to many famous writers’ lives and works in general. Memoirs, works on spirituality, dramatic works of fiction, and more can all contain pieces of these somewhat existential themes. Death is not necessarily a “creepy” topic.

In the USA, and many other countries, October 31st has become a commercialized day (or should I say night?) of ghouls and skeletons. Countless Halloween stores pop up all around my town during the month of October. Kids dress up in costumes, consume tons of candy, and perhaps watch a thriller or two. For the more rowdy bunch, pranks may be involved as well as late-night parties. However, Halloween was not always a 24 hour period of plastic masks and sugar highs.

Halloween History

Halloween has its roots in the Celtic pagan traditions of Samhain, an ancient harvest celebration that was joyful as well as somewhat full of fear. The day marked the end of summer and the longer days of winter; it was on that evening of Samhain that the dead were able to mingle with the living. Thus, the custom of masks and disguises became common so the living could “trick” the evil spirits that roamed the earth on that evening.

In the Catholic Church, “All Hallows’ Eve” (“Hallow” meaning saint) meant the spiritual preparation for the feast of All Saints’ day on November 1st. That day is a celebration of the lives of holy men and women who have died: both the formally recognized saints who have been canonized by the Church (papally declared) and the many unknown, Godly people of the world.

November 2nd is also a Catholic Feast day, the feast of “All Souls.” This day is dedicated to praying for the faithfully departed who are currently in Purgatory, being cleansed of all venial sin. In Mexico, Spain, and hispanic countries, this day is called “Día de los Muertos.” Families and friends gather to feast, dance, build family altars, visiting cemeteries, decorating houses with colorful skeletons and banners, and participating in local parades.

Each community has different and unique  traditions for this holiday. However, the Día de los Muertos remains a day to truly celebrate the lives and traditions of the past. With all the dancing and feasting, the day is also very much a celebration of life.

In the Catholic tradition, these feasts of the Church seek to remind Christians of their mortality and the vanity and ephemeral qualities of earthly life. These feasts are lessons that look to the past for inspiration and to the future for heavenly reward.

Writer’s Halloween Inspiration

You may be wondering how this history lesson can inspire writers. I have created a list of ideas that sprang to my mind while reviewing this week’s upcoming events.

1. Create a story that contains a modern-day example of a spiritual battle (your story may or may not involve a particular religion or philosophy). However, create a believable fantasy that focuses on a spiritual war. Who conquers? How do they win? What are the repercussions? For an unusual perspective on spiritual warfare, read C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.

2. Write a memoir from the perspective of someone who is dead. Is the narrator aware of what is going on Earth, in time? Is the protagonist in heaven, hell, purgatory? Somewhere else? Nowhere? Does the narrator have physical form? Does the protagonist have a message, warning, or assignment to accomplish for the living?

3. Describe a death, funeral, morgue, or wake from a unique perspective: the family dog, the garbage collector, the homeless woman, or the ceiling.

4. Use a physical symbol of death in a story. This can be a skeleton, skull, whatever you can think of. Does this symbol amuse, frighten, or warn the characters? Is it a coincidence or sign from someone/something? Does the thought of death remind the characters to reform their lives or to find as much debauchery? Is the choice satisfying? Perhaps you may want to use some of the color, food, and religious symbolism stemming from the Día de los Muertos or Celtic traditions.

5. Write a story describing the actions of a character that has a strong phobia of something – but do not reveal the subject of the fear until the end of the story (or do not reveal it at all). Help the reader to experience the physical and mental sensations of fear.

6. Examine the duality in the Mexican celebration of the Día de los Muertos, a celebration of life and the lives of the dead. Perhaps you would like to explore the personification of death in Mexico as Santa Muerte. If death is an absence of life, what would a personification of death be like.

7. Write a letter to a (fictional or non-fictional) loved one who has died. Or recount a story that illustrates this loved one’s life philosophy. Is the example a joyful remembrance? A difficult memory to relive? Why?

An excellent resource for learning more about Día de los Muertos in the American Southwest and Mexico.

“Day of the Dead” – by AzCentral website – links and articles.

All Souls Day - by American Catholic website

Church Year - information on Catholic feastdays