# content
This is the IndieWeb Fiction Carnival call for submissions for May, 2026. Everybody is welcome to participate.

I'm a long-term member of the indieweb community, and a speculative fiction writer, so I was delighted to see the IndieWeb Fiction Carnival appear. Previous prompts include platonic soulmates (for which I entered my story Sharing is Caring), silvered eyes, and we've got to dream past it.

This month, I've signed up to host.

Prompt

This month's prompt is sticks and stones will break my bones.

The old rhyme dates back to at least 1830:

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will never hurt me.

Use this prompt however you like. Perhaps your protagonist has to learn to be impervious to a bully. Maybe it's ironic and words are more powerful than they appear. Or something else entirely might be going on.

I'm excited to read what you come up with.

Submissions

The carnival is open to anybody.

To submit a story, you first need to write or create any kind of fiction that responds to the prompt in a way that makes sense to you. Then, publish it openly on an independent website that you control.

Once you've done that, either:

Email me the link at ben@werd.io.

Send a webmention to this page.

Your deadline is midnight on May 31, in whatever your local timezone is.

I'll post a roundup during the first week of June.

Happy writing!

# preview.content
This month's prompt is "sticks and stones will break my bones".

# summary
This month's prompt is "sticks and stones will break my bones".