A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 24

This is the sixth year in a row I’ve run this series in April.

Today’s story: Chinese boy discovers 3,000-year-old sword in a river.

A child in east China’s Jiangsu Province had a stroke of luck after lunging into a river and stumbling upon a 3,000-year-old bronze sword.

Yang Junxi, an 11-year-old boy, discovered upon the rusty sword on July 2 when he was playing near the Laozhoulin River in Linze Township of Gaoyou County, according to the Gaoyou Cultural Relics Bureau.

While washing hands in the river, Yang touched the tip of something hard and fished out the metal sword. He took it home and gave it to his father Yang Jinhai.

Upon hearing the news, people began flocking to Yang’s home, the father said.

“Some people even offered high prices to buy the the sword, but I felt it would be illegal to sell the cultural relic,” Yang said.

A variation of The Sword in the Stone, that’s where my head went. Straight to an action-adventure movie in which the sword carries with it some magical powers… but also a curse or legacy. So instead of A Kid in King Arthur’s Court, as soon as the sword is moved from its resting place, it causes 3,000 year old Chinese war lords to appear in the present. And in the process resuscitate an ancient feud… with the kid now perceived to be the leader of the opposition side. It’s the kid versus these guys:

Throw in an old Mentor figure, maybe the kid’s grandfather who knows Chinese history. The kid’s crew of friends. Hijinks! Mayhem! Destruction of property! And a magic sword!

I mean, come on!

There you go: My twenty fourth story idea for the month. And it’s yours. Free!

What would you do with it?

Each day this month, I invite you to join me in comments to do some brainstorming. Gender bend, genre bend, what if. Take each day’s story idea and see what it can become when we play around with it. These are all valuable skills for a writer to develop.

See you in comments (hit Reply to join the conversation). And come back tomorrow for another Story Idea Each Day For A Month.

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