The Prompt
Choose a bleak, hopeless setting (examples: a dystopian city, a prison, a refugee boat).
Write a story in this setting and make everything dark for the protagonists. They can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.
Without changing the setting or the characters (and without writing a sequel/prequel), write a story where everything is hopeful.
- What choices from the protagonists can make that setting a hopeful one?
- What narrative decisions could change this perspective?
- What plot beats could change the story from a dark one to a hopeful one?
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Renan Bernardo
Renan Bernardo is an author of science fiction and fantasy.
He is a Nebula Finalist, Ignyte Nominee, Utopian nominee, and a Locus-recommended author. His work has been published in English, Portuguese, Chinese, German, Italian, and Japanese.
You can find his stories in several publications, including Clarkesworld, Reactor (Tor.com), Apex Magazine, Podcastle, Escape Pod, Samovar, Solarpunk Magazine, Translunar Travelers Lounge, and more.
His collection of Solarpunk/Climate Fiction stories, DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEFIANCE, was published in 2024 by Android Press. His dark space opera novella, DISGRACED RETURN OF THE KAP’S NEEDLE, was published in 2025 by Dark Matter Ink and was a finalist for the Nebula Award.
Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!
Remember: Please don’t post your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.
Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday
Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version
Ok, I went without a prompt today, let’s say I leaned in and committed to the month of may, or maybe I didn’t.
No prompt, just and Idea – Personal Essay/Memoir – & Me
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2026/05/me.html