Fear
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Writing Prompt: On a piece of paper, write about a time when you felt scared and how you overcame your fear.
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| Writing prompts may instruct you to write about fiction or nonfiction. If the prompt does not specify, feel free to make up a story or draw from personal experience. In this prompt, please write about a true event.
Before you begin writing, you’ll need to brainstorm ideas for your story. Think: What made you feel scared? Did you have any other feelings? How did you overcome your fear? There are many different answers to each of these questions, so your story should be unique.
Take a look at the two sample answers provided in response to the given writing prompt. Sample answer number one is a story from a little boy who gets scared when he goes to sleep and it’s dark. He’s afraid when he thinks he keeps hearing noises and seeing shadows move. He calls for his mom who comes in and comforts him, explaining that although it’s okay to be scared at times, there is nothing for him to be scared of.
In sample answer number two, a fourth-grade girl has to give a speech in front of her entire class. She feels scared, embarrassed, and nervous about it. She worries about if she will mess up. Right before the speech, she talks to her best friend who is able to give her advice that helps her get through her speech perfectly.
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Sample Answer #1
One night, I laid in bed wide awake. It was very dark in my room, so I couldn’t see very well. I kept thinking I was hearing noises coming from my closet and from under my bed. I also kept seeing shadows move in the moonlight that came through my window. This made me very scared because I didn’t know what it was. I was all alone, and I felt upset.
Then, I decided to call out for my mom so she could help me. She came into my room, turned on the lamp on my bedside table, and sat on my bed next to me. She held me in her arms and told me how brave I really was. She got up and checked my closet and under my bed and explained that there was nothing there. Then, she told me how the moving shadows are the trees dancing outside. That’s pretty cool, I guess.
My mom made me feel better after coming in my room. Before she left, she told me that I was bigger, braver, and stronger than anything in my room. I knew then that I really didn’t have anything to be scared of.
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Example story #1
Question 1) In your story, what event did you write about that made you feel scared?
Answer: I wrote about a time when I went to bed and was scared of the dark. The noises I heard and moving shadows I saw made me feel scared.
Question 2) In your story, did you have any other feelings beside fear?
Answer: I also felt upset because I was alone at first when I got scared.
Question 3) In your story, how did you overcome your fear?
Answer: My mom helped me to overcome my fear by helping me realize that I had nothing to be scared of and that I was a very brave boy.
Question 4) Please choose the best choice word that means the opposite of scared.
Answer: Brave
Question 5) List two of your biggest fears. What helps you stay brave when faced with your fears?
Answer: Two of my biggest fears are the dark and being alone. My mom helps me stay brave when I am faced with my fears.
Question 6) Have you ever helped someone overcome his or her fear? If so, what did you do to help them?
Answer: Yes, I have helped my little brother overcome his fears by talking to him and telling him he’s brave like my mom does for me.
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Sample Answer #2
On day at school, I had to give a speech in front of my entire class. I was scared to do this. I hate speaking in front of a group of people. I was feeling nervous, and I was getting embarrassed about having to stand up in front of everyone and talk.
At lunch that day, I sat with my best friend, and I told her how scared I was. She told me that I had a great speaking voice and that I was going to do great. She gave me the good advice to practice with her before, so I spent the rest of lunch giving my speech to her. It was actually pretty easy.
After I practiced with her, she told me that when I give my speech after lunch to the class to look at her the entire time.
“You already know you can give your speech to me with no problems,” she told me. She was right.
After lunch, when I gave my speech, I stood in front of everyone, but I only looked at my best friend. I pretended she was the only one there. I didn’t feel scared giving my speech to her. I ended up giving my speech to the class with no problem, and I even got an A on it!
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Example story #2
Question 1) In your story, what event did you write about that made you feel scared?
Answer: I wrote about a time when I had to give a speech to my class, and this made me feel scared.
Question 2) In your story, did you have any other feelings beside fear?
Answer: I also felt embarrassed and nervous about the speech.
Question 3) In your story, how did you overcome your fear?
Answer: My best friend helped me to overcome my fear by letting me look at her while I was giving my speech.
Question 4) Please choose the best choice word that means the opposite of scared.
Answer: Brave
Question 5) List two of your biggest fears. What helps you stay brave when faced with your fears?
Answer: Two of my biggest fears are giving speeches to a large group of people and spiders. My friends and big brother help me stay brave when I am faced with my fears.
Question 6) Have you ever helped someone overcome his or her fear? If so, what did you do to help them?
Answer: Yes, I have helped my friends overcome their fears by giving them advice like they do for me.
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