Monday's Minute Challenge: Writing prompt challenge 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 winner of this month's giveaway is . . . 

Kaira! Congratulations! Be sure to respond to the email I sent to claim your prize.

* The next Monday's Minute Challenge will be posted a week late due to the small amount of entries received. Keep sending them in! =) 

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

The young black-haired girl ran her thumb over the leaf and the sticky red substance coating it. Blood. She pulled its crumbling brown form from the end of the arrow. She had hit something, but whatever that something was, it was still stalking the woods she now roamed in. 

Amalia wiped the blood from her hand onto a cloak just as red.“Granny bless this place, keep me alive in…” she hadn’t yet begun her description of the tangled forest when a snap echoed behind her like the sound of china shattering in an empty hall. Her hand gripped the arrow tightly, ready to use its point as a weapon. Amalia waited until she was aware of a rushing wind and a hot breath close upon her. She turned swiftly towards it, her arrow poised for attack. She aimed for the flash of fur and teeth, but before the arrow was displaced a centimeter, she felt her arm snap back behind her. 

Amalia almost cried out, but found it did not hurt. More than that, she found when she looked cautiously, that the wolf had only her sleeve in its mouth…it had not dared to bite her. It waited intently, staring at her with emerald eyes that did not blink. Though its posture appeared aggressive, it made no move to attack her. Amalia understood and dropped the arrow. The wolf in turn released her torn red sleeve. “Why-“ she began, but a low growl from the wolf’s throat silenced her. It looked beyond her, over her shoulder at a massive shadow. Despite her cloak Amalia felt a chill run up her spine. She caught a slight reflection in the wolf’s eyes and gasped. 

There was something much bigger, and much more evil in this wood. And it waited behind her.

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

I kicked leaves off the ground and grumbled as I made my way deeper into the woods. "Only a few days adjusting to the great outdoors, andthis is what she shoves on me. I've never even caught a fish in my life...and she expects me to bring back a deer!" I snatched a floating leaf, and began twirling it in my fingers as I walked. "What's going through her head, anyway? 'Janice's daddy was a stuck up, rich governor, and always sheltered his daughter from any kind of work. If I send her out, the deer will probably catch her'? Well, Lana's got another thing coming if she thinks I'm going to blindly follow her every order. I have half a mind to catch a wolf, just to show her-" 

"Blathering gets you nowhere, I'm sure you realize." 

My words stuck in my throat. I scanned the area, but saw no one. I grappled with the bow strapped to my back, and fumbled for an arrow. Clumsily, I aimed at the bushes in front of me. "Who-who's out there? I'm armed!" 

"Only the wolf you wanted to bring along with you," said a voice that pretended to be friendly. 

Something cut through the air and landed at my back. I whirled around. Standing there was someone I'd never thought of when I'd heard his voice. "You." I felt relieved. "How-" 

"Just get me to the camp, and I promise I'll make everything a lot more miserable for Lana and the others." 

I knew I could trust him with that. The question "What are they to him?" did reach my mind, but I brushed it aside. I led him to the camp, where he fulfilled his promise. 

But he never said things wouldn't be miserable for me, too. 

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

I ran blindly through the wood, stumbling on stray rocks and ancient, gnarled roots of trees. Branches slapped my face and brambles tugged on my cloak. Suddenly, I slipped on a large leaf and fell on my face in a small clearing amidst the thick greenery. 

Slowly pushing myself up to my knees, I stared at the arrow in my fist responsible for my heartache. Memories came to me, and tears finally leaked out. 

A slight rustling sound alerted me to someone else's presence. My head shot up, and I found myself staring into the eyes of a wolf with pure white fur.

His eyes weren't filled with hunger or the cruel thirst of death. They were full of sympathy, as if the animal knew how I felt and what had happened. Out of the blue, I felt compelled to embrace him. I didn't know what came over me as I hugged him and burrowed my face into his silky, white fur. 

We stayed like that for a long while, in the silence with my quiet tears and the wolf's unspoken comfort. The question of who the wolf was suddenly arose in my mind. 

The wolf pulled away from me and looked at me with those all knowing eyes and, to my shock and surprise, spoke into my mind. I go by many names and titles. I am Lord, I am Creator. I am King, I am Rescuer. I am who I am. 

He stood and continued to speak into my troubled mind. There is a book on the log behind you. It will help you know who I am, what I have done, and how much I love you. 

He then pressed his nose into my forehead and was gone. 

Congratulations, Micaiah! 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. Mary B.
2. Simi
3. Natalie

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: nightingale, porcelain teacup, satchel (submitted by Natalie)
• Write a passage based on this picture (submitted by Mia)
• Write a passage either incorporating this phrase OR based on this phrase:  
  
  

  Gently, softly, the killing wind tossed the boat over the edge. (submitted by Lace)

*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.