Monday's Minute Challenge: Writing Prompt Contest for Teens & Up

A quick writing challenge (and contest) to help get your creative juices flowing for the new week.

1. The entry must be between 150 - 300 words. Otherwise, your entry will not be accepted. (In order to see how many words your entry is, write it in Microsoft Word, or you can copy and paste it here.)
2. The deadline for the contest will be the following Friday. 
3. You do not have to be a teen to enter the contest.
4. The same person cannot win first place two weeks in a row. (Some exceptions may apply.)
5. If there is at least 5 entries, the panel of judges will select a 2nd and 1st place. If there is at least 10 entries, the judges will select a 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place. However, if there is under 5 entries, the panel of judges will only select one winner.
6. If there are at least 10 entries, there will be a few Honorable Recognitions, which are the next highest winners. They will receive a badge, as well as 3 points.
7. The winners will receive a badge for their blog, as well as extra points (see the point system below).
8. The winner will be chosen based on the judges's preferences, as well as the following questions: Does this entry capture my attention immediately? Does it make me want to continue reading? Is the writing clear? They will also take into consideration the writer's voice and style--not necessarily technical issues, such as grammar, punctuation, etc. 
9. If you have entered at least 3 contests and have yet to place, send me an email and I will be happy to give you a critique of your last entry, which will include tips and suggestions.
10. This is only for fun and to stretch your writing muscles--not necessarily to be taken too seriously. =)

Prizes:
More prizes to come!

• 30 points: You will be able to create your own prompt that will be used in Monday's Minute Challenge!
• 40 points: You will receive a critique based on your current week's entry.
• 50 points: You will receive a free blog critique and helpful suggestions.
• 70 points: You will receive an 700 word critique on your novel, short story, article, etc.
• 80 points: You can help judge one of the contests!
• 90 points: You will receive two weeks free in my Write Now Mentoring Program!
• 100 points: You will receive a free ebook of PURPLE MOON. =)
• 150 points: You will receive a personalized handmade notepad. 

Earning Points:

• 20 points: If you sign up for a month of my Write Now Mentoring Program!
• 5 points: If you post a review of Purple Moon on Amazon and/or Goodreads. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 5 points: If you join the Purple Moon Publicity Group on Facebook. (You will have the chance to participate in monthly giveaways!)
• 3 points: If you cast your vote! (See the end of this post.)
• 3 points: If you post your entry on your blog, linking back to this post
• 2 points: If you post a tweet about Monday's Minute Challenge, with hashtag #MondaysMinute (You may tweet more than once in a week, however the points will only count for one tweet.)
• 2 points: If you follow this blog via Google Friend Connect. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 2 points: If you "like" my Facebook page. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 2 points: If you follow my Twitter account. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 2 points: Become a "fan" of me on Goodreads. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 2 points: Follow me on Pinterest. (Let me know in the comments if you do!)
• 10 points: If you win 1st place in the writing prompt contest.
• 7 points: If you win 2nd place in the writing prompt contest.
• 5 points: If you win 3rd place in the writing prompt contest.
• 3 points: You receive an Honorable Recognition. 

Points Tracker:

• TW Wright: 101
• Mary B: 71
• Elisabeth: 59
• Angela: 13
• Funto: 9
• Benj. Evans: 30
• S. Brightly: 22
• Jacqueline: 59
• Rebekah B: 41
• Anna: 32
• His Princess: 58
• Tara T: 61
• Evan: 10
• Rcubed: 60
• Sarah: 79
• Jillian: 10
• Brooke: 12
• Kaley: 2
• Karina: 23
• Kaira Anne: 49
• Katheline: 16
• Kendra: 9
• Lottie Le: 6
• CeCe: 10
• Katie: 10
• Marsh: 20

*Points are updated every Monday.

*When you request to use your points for a prize, the points you use will be taken away from your total. In other words, when you reach 30 points, you can claim the prize for 30 points--but it will cost you all of your points. Or you can continue to try and earn points so you can claim a bigger prize.

 

If you have entered at least 3 contests and have yet to win, please send me an email and I will be happy to give you a critique of your last entry and offer suggestions.

The judge panel chooses these winners based on a point system (not to be confused with the point system mentioned above!) 

Thanks so much to everyone who voted! It helps the judge panel tremendously.

We were very impressed this week at how far all of you have come since the beginning. All of the entries were incredible, and it was very hard to judge! So please don't discouraged if you have yet to place (or haven't in a few weeks). The competition has become very tough, but the judges still think every one of your entries are impressive. So keep it up! =)

Since there were two entries that had the same amount of points for 3rd place, we have decided that they both deserved to place. 

(Keep in mind that the judges are not aware of which entry belongs to which participant until after the judging is complete.)

The entries that the judges thought was the most intriguing (based on rule #4) is ... 

Third place winner (tie): 

I lifted my lantern up to my face, peering into the forest that had overgrown onto the shoreline. I told myself that this was risky business. I’d told myself that I would never come back here again…yet here I was. I scoffed, sitting down on the boat’s small wooden seats. The water nudged the boat’s side gently, creating an everlasting rocking motion. I clenched my fists, standing up. The boat tottered unsteadily, but I caught my balance. How could I be such a fool? Did I actually believe that they would come? I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. The cool night’s mist spread across my face, relieving my angry notions. Once again I grabbed the lantern, hoping that my suspicions were wrong. Maybe they would come. Maybe they would prove me wrong, and show that they could be trustworthy and worthwhile people to be with. I looked at the water beneath me, staring at my reflection in the midst of the eerie light casting down from my lantern. Peering past my face, I gazed down at the fish that had gathered together in a tight group. A slight breeze picked up; my lantern’s flame flickered as all the fish scattered abruptly. A howling sound came from the shore. My eyes darted around; everything was becoming more terrifying as the seconds ticked by. I looked back towards the fish again, or where they used to be. A dark shape formed in the depths of the water. My boat was met with a hard shove; I fell with a shriek to the ground, watering seeping through the cracks in the side. My lantern fell overboard, everything was black. Giving in to the presence from the water, my boat splintered. Water was everywhere. It engulfed me completely. 

Congratulations, Katie! Click here for your badge. =)

Third place winner (tie): 

Ellie stared back at her reflection, wondering, watching, and waiting for Bethany to return. After waiting for three minutes as was agreed, Ellie did the secret code they’d worked on. Nothing happened. She looked around, baffled that nothing happened, considering how many times she and Bethany had snuck out to see each other. After eight minutes of waiting and watching, she got tired of waiting and started rowing herself back to the shore. As soon as she was half way there, she saw a boat heading towards her. "Oh finally, I was starting to think you forgot it was tonight.” Ellie said with a small reassured laugh. The laugh was abruptly caught in her throat when she saw who was rowing the boat. She caught her breath upon seeing that long lost face once again. Benjamin. Suddenly, unbidden images of the fire and ash her parents went into to save everyone else, including Benjamin, who had started the fire that had killed her family. She’d told herself she would never go back again ... yet there she was, missing, wanting, crying for the lost loved ones that had once been hers, but were now taken, all because of that cruel, heartless monster. “No, never again!” Ellie shouted her thoughts with such passion and enmity that with a rush of adrenaline that she rowed faster than ever before to get to that miserable wretch who had once been her beloved brother. He was so surprised when the small rowboat crashed into his that he toppled out backwards. Ellie was so mad she hardly even realized it, until she was pulled out herself. Ellie, not knowing how to swim, clung to the boat for dear life. Something grasped her leg and yanked it downwards until her whole body was underneath the surface.

Congratulations, Anna! Click here for your badge. =)

Second place winner: 

I'd told myself I would never come back here again ... yet here I am. I kneel by my sister's grave, the tears don't come. It would be a relief if they could—if this wrenching ache could subside. 

1997-2013

All that remains of my best friend is buried beneath those terrible words. 

I wish I could rewrite the tombstone, to tell the story—to tell the things that really mattered. But then, there are no words that could describe the vibrance, the life, the kindness. 

But all that remains is the cold stone. 1997-2013

A dandelion pokes its shining head through the soil around the tombstone. Somehow this seems more fitting than the brilliant roses I hold. Cheerful and understated, and, according to the man who killed her, a weed.

I suppose I've forgiven him—over and over again. Every time I let go of the anger, it comes back to haunt me again.

They say 'forgive and forget,' but I can't forget, only forgive.

A tear breaks loose of the invisible binding, trickling down my cheek and onto the stone. 

She was so much more than the words on the tombstone.

1997-2013

Congratulations, Kaira! Click here for your badge. =)

First place winner: 

If I'd have stopped to let myself think about it, I would have realized that my running through the dark woods on this balmy summer night was absolutely crazy. We were heading towards the old swimming lake- a place that no one around our piece of earth had visited for over twenty-odd years. The tragic story surrounding that body of water had grown and changed over the years, but the moral remained the same: Stay away from that lake. Always.

But my son had burst into the kitchen insisting that someone over that way needed our help. I wasn't at all inclined to believe him at first, knowing as I did the way his vivid imagination worked. But his gulping breaths, wide eyes and panicked tone quickly convinced me that even if there really was no one there, he definitely believed there was. So against my better judgment, I followed him.

"Almost there, Mama." His boyish voice sounded strangely protective, as if he somehow sensed the nausea that was creeping up on me as we neared our destination. It was the only thing keeping me from demanding he tell me how he knew the way here so well. Surely he hadn't been sneaking-

The bobbing light over the waters snapped my thought in two, and my breath caught sharply as I came to a stop on the shore. The small silhouette of a young girl was illuminated by the lantern she held, and she looked up calmly as we approached.

"See, there she is!" Josiah was still breathless. 

My mouth went dry. The girl... she looked just like... like... 

"Rachel?" I whispered weakly. Josiah caught my hand as I stumbled backwards.

It couldn't be her.

Congratulations, S. Brightly! Click here for your badge. =)

Honorable Recognitions: 

These winners will receive a badge, as well as 3 extra points:

1. Kendra
2. His Princess
3. Angela

Congratulations! Click here for your badge. =)

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

• Submit your response in the comments below. 
• Your response should range between 150 - 300 words. 
• The deadline for the contest will be this Friday. 
• Let me know which prompt you have chosen.
• If you'd rather not submit your post in the comments, you may email it to me instead.

Remember:

1) Your response should range between 150 - 300 words, otherwise it will not be accepted. (Copy and paste your entry here to count the words, or you could write it on Microsoft Word.)

2) The deadline for the contest is this Friday.

Choose at least one:

Note: You can always combine the prompts into one entry.

• Write a passage continuing your entry from last week week (or whichever week you'd prefer). If you can, try to continue it using one of the following prompts.
• Write a passage using these items: guitar, whistle, and clock. 
• Write a passage based on this picture. 
• Write a passage using this phrase: I always knew this day would come--I just didn't expect for it to get here so soon. 

Cast Your Vote!

We're going to try something new at Monday's Minute Challenge.

Since choosing the winners is such a time-consuming process for the judges, and since you already read each others responses, we have decided to give you the opportunity to take part in the judging process. =)

Here's how it works:

• You can vote for 3 entries per week, but you may not vote for yourself.
• You can only click "submit" once per week, so be sure to wait until you have selected your top 3 entries before casting your vote.
• Please do not vote until at least 7 entries have been submitted. (If you do before then, your vote will not count.)
• Only the participants of Monday's Minute Challenge may vote.
• Voting will only take place from Monday - Thursday.
• We will choose the 3 people with the highest amount of votes, then select another 3 or 4 that we think deserve to win as well.
• From those 6 or 7 entries, we will then select the winners (including the Honorable Recognitions.)

You will also receive 3 points for voting. So when you are done, please post a comment below saying that you have casted your vote.  

To vote, please enter the names of the 1 - 3 writers you are voting for below (or click here instead):

Current Judge Panel:

• Sarah Holman
• Tessa Emily Hall (me)
• Kate Petty

♡ ♡ ♡

Would you like to start a Purple Moon party?!

If you get together with at least four of your friends to read my book, let me know and we can put together a Purple Moon party! 

Pin It!

For this party, I will . . .

• Send you a free autographed book for you or your friend
• Email you a free PDF which will instruct you on how to throw a Purple Moon party by providing certain snacks, coffee, and chocolate. It will also include fun activities you can do with your friends at the party, such as creating a prediction of how you think the rest of the series will go, creating your own dream school or coffee shop, instructions on how to make a Luna Bonita Latte and a sleeping mask, etc.!
• ​I will also be willing to chat with you girls via Skype! In this session, we will discuss the Reader's Group Guide which can be found in the back of the book. You will then have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Interested? Email me at christiswrite (at) gmail (dot) com. =)

{Click here for more Reader Fun opportunities!}