Dive In or Dip Your Toes

the Challenged August Daily Prompts

AKA Keeley’s Daily Challenge. Not to be confused with Keeley’s Monthly Challenge.

Happy Summer is coming to a close month! In the US, schools across the country are starting back, and with any luck the heat wave will disappear! I’m tired of breaking records!

Big thanks to all who submitted prompts! There were a few specific dates, along with a few that were similar. I’m trying to give credit where credit is due, but if I miss you, let me know.

Starting August 1st, Medium’s new algorithm kicks in and writers are rewarded when people stay on their page for 30+ seconds. For those who tag other articles at the beginning of your story, you might want to move them to the middle or put them at the end so readers don’t click away immediately.

From the blog announcing the changes:

We’re now going to start including more engagement signals as well: claps, highlights, replies, and follows. For the purposes of earnings, only the first clap/highlight/reply/follow will be counted, and subsequent engagements by the same person won’t increase earnings.

Tag your stories.

This post will be pinned to the top of the Challenged for the month of August. We have new sections on the homepage and the way stories get sorted in Medium is through tags, so if you tag things accordingly, they should go where they belong. (Fingers crossed.)

I know a few of you use these tags often, so if you don’t want something to land in the wrong section, please don’t use the tag that will send them there. Hopefully, we editors will be able to catch it and leave you a private note asking you to change it, but … we’re human. :)

The tags are:

1. the Challenged if writing one of the featured monthly challenge questions.
2. Keeleys Monthly Challenge if in response to Keeley’s monthly prompt.
3. Prompt Response if publishing a response to any other prompts.

Please link to the original prompt article (at the end of your story) in your responses.

Okay, on to the prompts!

1. Bonnie Boucek: On August 1st, you wake up to discover that it’s National Raspberry Cream Pie Day! Write a short story about your quest to find the most delicious raspberry cream pie in town. (Today is Sturg’s birthday! 🎂)
2. Karen Schwartz: What child position are you in your family, and do you like it, or would you change it?
3. Adrian CDTPPW: I Know What You Did Last Summer (Not exactly as he intended, but I love it!)
4. Adrienne Beaumont: What was the highlight of your last trip/holiday/vacation?
5. Nancy Oglesby: If you could go back in time, which of your parents would you like to meet in high school?
6. Nicole Peery: What’s a TV show or movie from your childhood that you think no one else remembers?
7. Vidya: If you could relive one incident in your life, what would it be?
8. Jennifer Dunne: What was the stupidest (or most outrageous) thing you ever did for love?
9. Pamela Oglesby: Tell us about your favorite grandparent or relative.
10. Bonnie L. Boucek: It’s National S’mores Day on August 10th, and you’re camping with friends. Write a narrative describing the memorable camping trip and the delightful moments spent around the campfire making s’mores.
11. Emma Vincent: Have you ever started a movement / an action for change with others?
12. Paula Shablo If you could time travel without consequence (no timeline continuum issues, no changing the future by sneezing) where would you like to visit and why?
13. Toni the Talker: August is the Sun Sign Leo. Write about a Leo you Love. (Today is Toni’s birthday.)
14. Bonnie L. Boucek: On August 14th, National Spirit of ’45 Day, you discover an old photograph of your grandparents during their youth in the 1940s. Write a narrative that delves into the rich history of your family during this era.
15. Karen Schwartz: If you had named yourself, what would your name be and why?
16. Bonnie L. Boucek: August 16th is National Airborne Day, and you discover a magical hot air balloon that can take you anywhere in the world. Write a fantasy adventure as you embark on a thrilling journey to explore new lands.
17. Bonnie L. Boucek: On August 17th, National Thrift Shop Day, you discover a magical item among the secondhand treasures that grants unique powers. Write a story as you navigate the challenges and responsibilities that come with your newfound abilities.
18. Adrienne Beaumont: What are your thoughts on road trips? Did you have a fabulous one? An awful one?
19. Nancy Oglesby: Share a story about a day in the life of your dream job.
20. Nicole Peery: If your car could talk, what secrets would it spill about you?
21. Vidya Sury & Karen Schwartz (Great minds!): What is your biggest pet peeve?
22. Jennifer Dunne: Morning, noon, evening, or night — what’s your best part of the day?
23. Pamela Oglesby: Have you ever been robbed?
24. Emma Vincent: Write a letter to someone who had a significant and positive impact on your life, explaining their influence in your life.
25. Karen Schwartz: An Amazon package arrived at your door. Who do you hope sent it, and what do you hope is inside?
26. Adrian CDTPPW: Share a crazy story that took place during one of your birthdays. 😏(Today is Carole’s birthday! I was wrong about Adrian’s. It was July 26th.)
27. Adrienne Beaumont: What do you do when you go on holiday? OR What would you rather do on holiday than what you have been doing?
28. Nancy Oglesby: Every food on the planet costs $1.00. You have $5.00 in your pocket. What do you buy?
29. Nicole Peery: Someone from your past has Googled you and wants to reconnect. Who is it? Are you delighted or dismayed? Why?
30. Jennifer Dunne: What event turned out nothing like you expected, in either a good or bad way?
31. Emma Vincent: Things left unsaid… tell us about a time in the past when you might have said something but didn’t. How do you feel about that decision now?

As you can see, we have some talented writers here at the Challenged! I love that two writers gave us prompts for their birthdays!

So, whether you write one prompt, ten, twelve, or thirty-one, thanks for playing in the Challenge pond!

Emma Vincent, Erie Astin, JennyOhh, Pamela Oglesby, Ray Day, Teja Bangiev, Aaron Paulson, Amy Frances, Ana Michelle, Adrienne Beaumont, Ashllyn T., Autistic Widower (“AJ”), Bernadette E Wallace, Becca CO 🌵, Belle du Journey, Bernie Pullen, Lauren Alida, Bob Mildenhall, Bonnie L. Boucek, Bruce Coulter, Mariana Busarova, Busy Mama, C.A. Jaymes, Carmen Ballesteros, Carole Olsen, Adrian CDTPPW, Chantell, Cheree’ Means, Denise Kendig, Dixie Dodd, Ellen Baker, Brandon Ellrich, Emily Porter, Frances A. Chiu, Luis Rosa, Paul Gardner, Jerry Dwyer, Harry Hogg, Henry India Holden💖, Julia A. Keirns, Jennifer Dunne, Jennifer Marla Pike, Jenny Gargarello, Jason Moore, K. Joseph, Karen Hoffman, Karen Schwartz, Katie Michaelson, Kelley Murphy, Kiara (pronounced key-air-uh), Tina, Leigh-Anne Dennison, Cara LovesAnimals, Lynn L. Alexander, Mario Duff, Marlene Samuels, Michael Zwierzanski, Misty Rae, Michelle Jimerson Morris, Nevena Pascaleva, Nicole Peery 🌄, Pat Romito LaPointe, Patricia Pixie❤, Patricia Timmermans, Books Planet, Pluto Wolnosci 🟣, Paula Shablo, Rachella Angel Page, Rachel Thomas, Michael Rhodes, Joan Didak, Shahzeb Khan, Nikolaos Skordilis, S.K. Shandlin, Susie Winfield, Trisha Faye, Brett Jenae Tomlin, Nathan Chen, Lisa Guard, Toni The Talker, Dr. Tracy Davis, Trudy Van Buskirk, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Vincent Pisano, Worrickjk