Monday's Minute Challenge: Writing prompt contest for teens & up!

A quick writing prompt challenge (and contest) for teens to get their creative juices flowing for the new week.

1. The entry must be between 150 - 300 words. (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 Thursday after next. 
3. The winners will receive a badge for their blog, as well as extra points (see the point system below).
4. 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. 
5. This is only for fun and to stretch your writing muscles--not necessarily to be taken too seriously. =)

Since the point system has caused a bit of confusion recently, I have decided to take a different approach.
From now on, I will host a monthly giveaway, and one winner will be announced every four weeks.  Keep in mind that you are in charge of your points from now on. If you win a contest, the only way that you will receive your points is by clicking the entry below. 
Also, if you have already liked my Facebook page, followed me on Twitter, etc. then make sure to click those entries as well in order to receive your points. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There will be one randomly-selected winner chosen from the above raffle each month. They will have the choice of receiving one of the following prizes:

• A critique on of one of their MMC entries
• A blog critique
• A 300 - 600 word critique on your novel, short story, blog post, etc
• The opportunity to judge one of the contests
• A free ebook of PURPLE MOON
• A special surprise sent to your mailbox (snail mail, not email)

 

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

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 were the most intriguing (based on rule #4) are ... 

“Do you think she’s dead?”  Someone asked. The voice speaking sounded high-pitched as a young child but at the same time crackled like an old man.
“Of course not, Wormlung!”  Snapped another deeper voice.  “Don’t be daft.  Her chest is rising and falling, that means she’s breathing, and if she’s breathing that means she’s not dead.”
Cordy opened her eyes and beheld a strange little person with a round, pink face and a tiny crown of horns atop his head.  Did her eyes deceive her or were his feet like those of a deer?
“Ah, bless us!”  The little creature exclaimed, clapping his stubby hands gleefully.  “She’s waking!”
“Where am I?”  Cordy asked while sitting up slowly.
“Well, Miss, don’t you know?”
She shook her head.  “I’m afraid not.”
“Wormlung, you idiot,” the deeper voice chided “you’re frightening the poor girl.”
Cordy looked up in the direction of the voice and noticed a grey owl perched on a tree branch above her.  “Hello.”  Cordy said.  She felt very confused but didn’t want to hurt the animal’s feelings by telling him that she’d never seen a talking owl before.
“Hello.”  He replied solemnly and then ruffled his feathers importantly.  “Now, let’s not waste time.  Wormlung, begin training.”
Cordy wrinkled her forehead and stood up.  “For what?”
“Well, miss,” Wormlung said as if in shock. “You mean to tell us you don’t know why you’re here?”  He shook his head and then snapped his fingers.  A strange noise emanated from behind Cordy.
She turned to get a better look and immediately wished she hadn’t.  Lunging towards her in some kind of mirror was a tremendous beast with mangy black fur and eyes that struck immediate terror in Cordy’s being.
“That,” stated the owl, “is your beast, and it’s your job to slay it.”

Congratulations, Natalie! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =) 

Faint dusk light crawled over the window pane high on the wall as I readied myself for bed. Slowly all the other Lacemakers stumbled through the doorway to their palettes, all exhausted and aching.

My back ached and my fingers were blistered from another long day at the loom, transforming fragile strings of silk into beautiful fabric and frilly lace. I didn’t like the job much, like all the other young Lacemakers, but it was better than peeling fat, silk-eating caterpillars off the raw material and smashing them under our bare heels. It had to be done, we were told, or the silkworms and most of the silk would be eaten and we would be punished, maybe whipped, for negligence.

I fell asleep almost instantly when I climbed on to my palette and my head hit my pillow.

The morning came all too quickly and I was awoken by a faint rooster crow. I kept my eyes shut tightly, willing myself to go back to sleep, but I knew I couldn’t. The Queen’s guards would be here soon to escort each Lacemaker to her assigned job. I reluctantly kicked my blanket off my legs and sat up.

I was half asleep as I combed my hair into a braid and pulled my tunic over my head. I could vaguely hear the groans of the other girls as they awoke and stretched. I woke up all the way only when the guards of the Queen opened the door and bright morning light illuminated the building. I looked over my shoulder to get a better look and I immediately wished I hadn’t. The bright light blinded me and made my eyes hurt and watered.

I fell in line with the other girls to start our march to another day of hard work.

Congratulations, Katie! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =)

Avery gripped the ladder rung and spat out the sawdust that had settled on his tongue. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his climb to the attic. As a result of his impatience, he had lost his balance, which had in turn made the ladder tip back and caused it to send down a shower of dust when it had hit the ledge again. Now Avery turned around to get a better look and immediately wished he hadn't. He was up so high, and it was a rather rickety ladder... Eager to have it over with, he resumed his ascent, making a mental note to ask his uncle to build a set of stairs in the ladder's place.

The boy was always amazed that there seemed to be something new to take interest in every time he visited the room. This time, it was a worn-looking suitcase in the far corner; he could have sworn it had not been there two weeks ago. He fumbled with the clasps for a minute, as it was not easy to see in the dim light. He gasped when it fell open rather quickly and its contents scattered across the floor. Chiding himself for his clumsiness, he scooped up a few of the fallen photographs and crossed to the window in order to examine them better. He uttered a cry of surprise when he saw whom they featured. He did not remember his little cousin looking this old. Wanting to be sure she was whom he assumed, he turned one over and read the writing on the back:

'Margaret Johnson, 1964, four and a half years old'

"That's a mistake," he thought. Because the last time anyone had seen her, she was three years old. And she'd been missing for two years.

Congratulations, Maddie! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =)

Honorable Recognitions: 

These winners will receive a badge, as well as 2 extra points:

1. Sierra
2. Abbi
3. Shelby

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

• Submit your response in the comments below, or post it on your blog via InLink (below -- you will receive 2 extra points!). 
• Your response should range between 150 - 300 words. 
• The deadline for the contest will be the Thursday after next. 
• If you'd rather not submit your post in the comments or on your blog, you may email it to me instead.

Choose at least one:

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

(Optional) 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: mirror, envelope, rose petal (submitted by Shelby)
• Write a passage based on this picture (submitted by Maddie)
• Write a passage either incorporating this phrase OR based on this phrase:  
  "Because I'm the only one who can get us out."  (submitted by Esther)

*If your prompt was selected, be sure to claim your points here. 

Post your entry on your blog!:

If you're posting your entry on your blog (+2 points), please add your link below rather than in the comments. And don't forget to claim your points here!

Submit your prompt idea!:

The prompts that are used for Monday's Minute Challenge are submitted by the participants. Here's how this works:

• You will be able to submit 3 prompts each week in the same format as above: three objects, one picture, and a piece of dialogue or phrase.
• On Mondays, I will choose 3 prompts that have been submitted by 3 different people.
• If your prompt is selected, you will receive 2 points!
• You may submit in the comments below.

Would you like to participate in several new writing prompt

challenges throughout the week?

Now you can!

First, be sure to you like my Facebook page. Throughout the week, I will post several new writing prompts that YOU have previously sent in for Monday's Minute Challenge. 

Feel free to participate! You may do so by leaving a comment on the post, and/or by sharing the post to your own Facebook page. 

(Keep in mind that these entries will not be judged, nor will you receive points if your prompt is chosen.)

Current Judge Panel:

• Tessa Emily Hall
• Kate Petty
• Caroline George