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.

My heart beats a frantic tempo as I dash across the field, my brother’s words ringing in my head. 
“They’re dead. It’s all gone, Louise.” 
No. I won’t believe it, it’s not true, I – 
I stumble to a stop in front of my house. In front of what used to be my house. My home. 
All I see are broken bricks, charred stubble, and smoldering ashes. 
So the rumors were true; my parent’s assassin had fulfilled his task. My brother was right, and our parents were gone. 
I would never see them again. 
I can’t feel anything, my heart has turned to cold stone and my mind won’t believe it. I can’t breathe, I can’t speak, I can’t move. 
Not even when a black-cloaked figure appears from thin air and points a gun at my head. 
“So, you’re the Carlton girl.” He chuckles. “It won’t take long for me to wipe out that name if those who bear it keep coming to find me.” 
There is a loud bang, and I feel my stony heart break in two, gushing blood as I fall to the ground. 
So this is how it ends.

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

"Yes. Yes, I know." He looked down at the little girl whose head did not even reach his middle.

She had one hand wrapped in his, and had one finger from the other pointed rigidly at the sight in front of them. Slowly, she tilted her head back and stared up at him. Her deep blue eyes did not hold tears, as he had expected. Instead, there was hurt contained in them. A bruised look, as if he had delivered her a blow after telling her that he had a present to give her. Which is almost what had happened. But he hadn't meant it.

"I- I'm sorry. I thought...." A heavy breath escaped his nostrils. He took his gaze off of the little girl and swept it across the piles of bricks and glass that lay in the charred grass at the bottom of the hill. Crouching so as to fully look her in the eye, he said, "I didn't know. The rumors were true." When he inhaled sharply, the ashes that mixed and carried on the air almost choked him. He moved his hand over his mouth and felt the bristly stubble on his chin; a reminder that life had not been normal for over a week since he'd met Angelica.

The little girl reached for that hand, and pulled it away from his face, still keeping her grip tight on his other hand. Placing first the right, then the left around her shoulders, she stepped in closer and put her own around his waist.

James returned the hug when he realized what she wanted. She was the first to pull away, and he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You'll have to stay with me, now. All right? Come, Angelica. We'd better start on the way back home."

She raised her arms and he understood the cue. Scooping her up, he placed her on his aching shoulders and turned the both of them away from the burnt ruins of the city.

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

I ran as fast as I could up the winding dirt road, just outside the city. Lifting my skirt hem, and holding my head scarf on. I had to know that the rumors were true. I needed to see Him for myself. "Could He really be alive?" I wondered over and over. I couldn't help hoping, praying that He was. But the memories I had were vivid. I had watched them beat Him. Seen the bloody, gashes on His back. His horrible, agonizing pain. I had seen Him hang there with the cruel nails in his hands. Heard His final words. Seen His last breath. Watched them take His dead body away. "How could He be Alive?" A sharp stitch in my side yanked me out of my thoughts. I was about to enter the huge, bustling, city. Hundreds of people with carts and wagons pulled by donkeys and Mules were flowing in and out. I wiggled and squeeze my way through the throng. I burst out and started running toward the docks. The rank smell of dead fish engulfed my nose. But up ahead I saw a large crowd. And there, standing on a cart, I saw Him....

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

Honorable Recognitions: 

1. Elisabeth
2. Esther
3. Allie

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

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• 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: bucket, rope, wood (submitted by Savannah P)
• Write a passage based on this picture (submitted by Kendra)
• Write a passage either incorporating this phrase OR based on this phrase:  
  
  

  Evidently he had a good reason for making the rule -- maybe it wasn't such a good idea to break it.  (submitted by Kendra)

Post your entry on your blog!:

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

NEW: 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.

Is It Possible to Make a Living as an Author?: Choosing a Life of Writing - Part 1

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You're probably aware that being an author does not guarantee a steady income. In fact, most published authors write books in their "spare time" -- in other words, they write in the evening and pay the bills through a day job. It's only those who really hit it big that receive those mega paychecks. 
However, the publishing industry has shifted over the past decade. Authors these days have several avenues through which they can publish their books, and these new avenues have given writers opportunities to develop multiple streams of income.
So should you, an aspiring author, pursue a career in writing? It depends on these factors:  

• Do you have hobbies, interests, and skills besides writing? Is there another career you could pursue as your day job that could help "fund" your writing career?
• What type of author do you aspire to become? The answer to this question will help to develop a business model for your writing career. For instance, do you want to solely publish one book per year through the traditional route? Or would you like to produce multiple books per year and take the hybrid or indie route?
• Do you have a creative yet self-disciplined entrepreneurial spirit? Are you willing to take risks and invest time and effort into building your writing business for the sake of your dreams?
• Or, do you have the type of personality that would prefer a steady, dependable career? 
• Do you work best with a team and in an office? Or are you more productive in your own space and as your own boss?

Although it's not likely to "hit it big" in the traditional market, it is possible to make a living with a writing career.  

When I was a senior in high school, I sought career advice and direction from multiple people in my life -- those who were in the writing industry, and those who were not. One person's advice in particular resonated with me and confirmed what I'd already believed. 
This woman -- who is a very respected professional in the industry -- asked similar questions to a few that I listed above. She then told me that, personally, she'd much prefer to make less of an income and work at a job she loved rather than become rich but only work for the sake of money.
If you, like myself, don't have a passion to pursue a career that doesn't involve words -- then please, don't settle. I've seen far too many people unhappy because they did not choose the path of their calling. If you believe that God has called you to a life of writing, then you can trust that He will provide. (This is yet another point that my writing mentor mentioned.) 

If you neglect to do the work He has called you to do, then you risk making an impact on the lives of others and missing out on what He could have in store. (No, following God's will for your life is not always going to be safe, easy, predictable, or even make the most sense logically.)  
If you're at the point of having to make a career decision for your future, here's my advice: Spend time with God. He's created a specific and unique route that only you should take. 
Ultimately, the path I chose wasn't a direct result of someone's career guidance, but a response to God's guidance for my life. Ask Him to give you the vision He wants you to have for your future. Remember that nothing is impossible with Him. Then, ask that He'll show you your next step. 
So is it possible to make a living as an author? Yes. That's not to say it's easy, or that your income will come solely from the books you write. But if you like to work with words/books in general, there are several opportunities for you to potentially develop multiple streams of income. 
In the next post, I'll share a complete list of how you can make a living as an author.


{PS -- I'm taking a blogging break next week to enjoy my week on vacation. I will, however, continue MMC on Monday.}
Tweetables:
Is It Possible to Make a Living as an Author?: Part 1 http://bit.ly/1P8utDf #amwriting @TessaEmilyHall

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Does the idea of pursuing a career in writing scare or excite you? Would you prefer to pursue to write as a part-time or full-time career?