The Prompt
“I want to be brave.”
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Somto Ihezue
Somto Ihezue is a Nigerian–Igbo writer, acquiring editor, and filmmaker. He is an alumnus of the Tin House Winter Workshop, Milford SF Writers, Voodoonauts Summer Fellowship, and the 2024 Clarion West Writers Workshop. He is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction Writers Association), ASFS (African Science Fiction & Fantasy Society), BSFA (British Science Fiction Association), BFS (British Fantasy Society), and Codex.. Somto wants to write places where he can be afraid, brave, a work in progress, and a masterpiece, all at once. Or just… be.
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
This was a powerful one for me. Participating in the gathering on Zoom this morning got me deeply immersed and I was able to bring the piece to somewhat of a close. This is one I might consider done, I might revisit and add more. Thank you, Julie. Thank you Somto Ihezue.
I enjoyed this! Great prompt! So many directions it can go, and I’ve drafted two of those potentials, today. 😊
I wrote about a woman who saw what she thought was her best friend’s husband with another woman. She decides she needs to be brave enough to tell her friend even though that may end their friendship. The reader finds out later it’s the MC’s husband who’s been cheating. I know it’s a cliched plot and I’m still trying to come up with subtle hints in the beginning regarding the MC’s husband’s cheating to give it the twist it needs.
My first try at this prompt was a woman getting hypnotized to try to be brave so I may go back to that idea later. I have to think of a reason she needs to be brave first. She’s a very introverted woman.
I see that this group came up with some great ideas for using this prompt. I especially like the one where the MC had to write a story for a test she was taking. For most people, that would include being brave. Not for this group, though! Tests like that are fun for us.
This one was great. I wrote about a student taking an exam where she had to write a short story. It’s a story in a story. Didn’t plan that. It’s just the way it turned out. I’m 16 for 16 (even though one story took me 2 days to finish). Trying to get my blog up and running but having a little trouble.
Well done on 16 for 16. I did something the same with one of the stories two or three days to get it done.
Dare I ask what tool you using for your blog?
I use blogger.com. Functional enough, no cost. Have used square space before, it’s good but has a cost from memory.
Andrew
I’m using blogger.com. I was having trouble formatting because I was typing my story using google docs then copying and pasting and it wasn’t working. I figured I just had to type everything directly into blogger.com page. I’m not ready to share anything yet. Maybe tomorrow’s story whatever the prompt might be.
I’m using the same routine. At one point, all my text was copied dark, and I was never able to work it out; it goes back a few years.
One method that works for coders is to use Notes or TextEdit – i.e. past it into TextEdit and copy it out. Still fddly, less than retyping teh whole thing.
Beautiful prompt! I ended up playing with the line between taking action and fear that’s so intense it’s paralyzing. (Unfortunately I’m familiar with that line.) How does one get over it? I think the resulting story will be a keeper once it’s done. Yay!
I wrote two “list” stories, one full of advice from mom to college-bound daughter, one about the do’s and don’t’s of being a brave woman. Really happy with what I got down on the page.
I haven’t done a story through a list this year, sitting on the backlog thanks for the memory jog.
What’s with all the grim stories I’ve been writing? This isn’t Downer-A-Day May.
Another 100-word piece, this one about “Fearless Fentanyl, the Human Speedball,” an addictive personality who wants to be brave enough to quit, but isn’t.
Interesting. Walter this downer stories, all in the same time bandage or differing worlds?
Oh, all different.
For me, Story A Day May is about freedom – to write badly and to write differently. Negative themes are a different space for me, but I’m excited to explore them.
Walter, same, I strive for variety, and don’t worry about the quality, it’s about getting it out.
today’s prompt was fun. I recounted a time when a friend was buying an engagement ring, but was too afraid to admit that is what it was.
A lot of my stories this month are sorta, kinda, wedding themed
Love it, that’s one of the braves I mean in the poem.
I took the prompt “I want to be brave” and made it the title of this piece, short and sweet.
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2026/05/i-want-to-be-brave.html
I’m over the hump, 16 for 16, 15 to go!!
Way to go Andrew! I am right behind you. I missed one day for an actual story, but I did do the warmup and the prompt.
I’m going to sound a bit of a dope ‘what are the warm ups?’