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. A new prompt is posted, and winners are announced, every other Monday.

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.
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. =)

 

The judge panel chooses these winners based on a point system. Keep in mind that the judges are not aware of which entry belongs to which participant until after the judging is complete.

NOTE: I was unable to read the posts submitted by Savannah and Esther due to your blog's privacy settings. If you'd like to submit your entry into this week's MMC, feel free to resubmit them in the comments. (You can still write an entry for this week's prompts as well!) =)  

As they sat there in silence, she could sense there was something he wanted to convey, but didn’t know how to begin.  There was a nervous excitement in his overall presence. Anticipation started to fill her own self as she studied him. 

“Sarah,” he finally said, turning sharply to face her full on.  He clenched and unclenched his fists. 

“Yes, Kay?”

“I think you’re ready now.”  He didn’t say anything further for a moment.  She felt an urging to know more, not just out of curiosity, but out of a feeling of longing.  This feeling nearly consumed her and it was all she could do not to shake the information out of him.

At last he took a deep breath, and brought his gaze to hers.  “Come with me.”  And just like that, he reached down and grabbed her hand. 

“Where are we going?”  She gasped, trying desperately to keep from tripping.

“For a swim!” he called over his shoulder.  At last they ceased their pace at the rocky cleft of an ocean. 

“Climb in!” Kay instructed, gesturing to a ladder leading down into the water.

“What?”  She screamed, her voice barely heard above the crashing of the waves.  “The water is dangerous, we can’t!”

“Sarah, trust me.”

She peered into his eyes.  The feeling of longing once again consumed her and she found herself grasping onto the ladder rungs.  She descended into the waves, paused for a moment, and finally submerged.  But instead of being greeted by frigid water, she was met with warm, gentle sunshine.  When she looked back up, she could see Kay appearing as if in a mirror.  “Kay,” she breathed, her feet touching the ground, “what is this place?

“Don’t you know by now?” he smiled “it’s your home.”  He jumped down and kneeled. “Welcome home…Queen Sarah.”

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

The rope. How could it have slipped? It wasn't as if she’d meant it to. And that was the pity. 

She'd been tempted to pass him by when she had seen him hanging there. And why not? They weren't friends. In fact, they'd never spoken a civil word, either one to the other, in life. She could have walked right by, let him die. Not been accused of anything. That was the pity. 

Instead, she'd tried to help. Put aside petty prejudice that had lasted a lifetime, and tried to help the man. Tried to save his life. And she was accused of murder. No one would believe her if she tried to deny it. And she could not blame them. How many times had she sworn she'd take out Jeremy Kindle, her opponent, even killing him if need be. How many times had he sworn the same of her. Their malice was not a private matter. And that was the pity. 

Their oaths had been fulfilled without either party wanting them to be. 

The mallet came down to smack the wood of the desk, sentencing her for the next 30 years. 

The rope had snapped, dooming him to give up the rest of his life forever. 

If words could be taken back, what each wouldn't give to do just that. Bucket load by bucket load. 

It was a pity to learn the truth which the old grade school rhyme tried to hide. 

Words do hurt.

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

I peer up into the black canvas called the night sky dotted with my twinkling navigators. “Smith!”

An elderly, bone thin man scurries up to me, tripping on a stray bucket in his hurry. I suppress a sigh. He’s like a clumsy puppy that hasn’t quite filled out. He rights himself and snaps to attention. “Yes, Cap’n.” 

“The weather is not in our favor today. We must rouse the men and begin rowing so we can get to Dead Man’s Cove tomorrow, or else…” My words fade, leaving silence to say what will become of us if we fail to return to the cove at midnight. I shiver, despite my heavy overcoat. 

“Cap’n…” 

“Aye, Smith.” I straighten and rake a hand through my unruly crop of hair.

“The men are getting nervous.” I flinch at his words. Not another threat of mutiny. Have I not outlined every single detail of the deal we made? “They are beginning to wonder if you’re leading them to their deaths.”

I slam a hand into my forehead. “Curse the stubborn lot. Their best bet is to be at Dead Man’s Cove tomorrow at midnight.”

Smith fidgets. Under the starlight, I can see perspiration bead on his wrinkled brow. He fiddles with a piece of rope. “But Cap’n,  you know the legends…”

“I do, Smith, and I am no fool, but we must do this!” I pace back and forth, my boots thudding against the wood of the deck. Why have they so little faith in me? 

“Cap’n!” 

I whirl towards my first mate, thoroughly annoyed. “Blast it, Smith! What do you want now?”

“Behind you, Cap’n!” Smith’s eyes grow as large as saucers.

The harrowing click of a pistol sounds behind me. “Do listen to your first mate, Captain. Behind you.”  

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

Honorable Recognitions: 

1. Simi
2. Allie Taylor

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

Pin this!

• Submit your response in the comments below, or post it on your blog via InLink (below).
• 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: artificial tulip, wood carving, drawing (submitted by Esther)
• Write a passage based on this picture OR this one (submitted by Kendra and Maddie)
• Write a passage either incorporating this phrase OR based on this phrase:  
  
  

  If I had known I was being watched, I wouldn't have said a word. (submitted by Savannah)

Post your entry on your blog!:

If you're posting your entry on your blog, please add your link below:

Tag your friends!

(Optional) If you post an entry on your blog, tag at least 3 writers who have never participated in Monday's Minute Challenge. Be sure to comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged. (Thanks to Micaiah for this suggestion!)

Do you have an idea for MMC? I'd love to hear! 
Send me an email at christiswrite (at) gmail (dot) com. 

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.

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