Objects that inspire

Some writers enjoy writing about people. They love playing with character, dialogue, emotion. They like writing conflict and drama. They find it satisfying bringing a person to life on paper.

Others like writing place and description. They write novels and short stories. They turn imaginary worlds real with words.

Fewer people tend to write about objects. Which is one of the reasons 26 Treasures has gone down so well with writers and readers. Because it’s different. It’s a challenge. A chance to get under the skins of artefacts.

We didn’t just ask for descriptions or historical accounts of our 26 treasures. We challenged writers to use their storytelling skills to turn them into something personal.

Think about an object in your house that tells its own story to you. A wedding ring? Dad’s favourite clock? Grandma’s armchair? Then have a think about other people’s rings and clocks and chairs and how they tell stories too. They’re everyday objects with personal stories to share.

Objects from history can tell a story. Because they’ve lived their lives with people for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years.

That’s why a bed from 1600 can help a writer from 2010 tell a story about lost love. And a porcelain figure of a man with a drinking glass from 1680 can remind a writer of a night of drinking in a pub miles away from his family.

26 Treasures has a future. Because everybody has a story to tell. And every object in the world can spark that story.

Rob