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: 73
• Mary B: 47
• Elisabeth: 47
• Funto: 9
• Benj. Evans: 30
• S. Brightly: 74
• Jacqueline: 50
• Rebekah B: 35
• Anna: 27
• His Princess: 45
• Tara T: 43
• Evan: 10
• Rcubed: 51
• Sarah: 51
• Jillian: 10
• Brooke: 12
• Kaley: 2
• Karina: 23
• Kaira Anne: 26
• Lottie Le: 6
• CeCe: 10
• Marsh: 3

*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 helped the judge panel tremendously.

(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: 

An empty boat.
An empty heart.
Can I ever find them?
I stepped carefully, staring at the boat just to my right. Was this the boat my parents had taken so long ago? When they entered this forest never to return? What terrible thing could make people vanish, leaving no trace of the King and Queen of Aridna and thousands of others? Questions raced though my mind, a kilometer a second, but the quiet serene forest whispered.
"Nothing to fear. Nothing to fear. Take in the beauty. Nothing to fear."
"Help!" A panicked scream rang though the quietness, making the forest atmosphere seem cold and foreboding. I ran through the forest, not stopping to make sure I moved noiselessly. No one was in sight. I searched the ground frantically, looking for any signs that might give me a clue, but the forest whispered it had all been a dream.
“Nothing to fear. Nothing to fear. Take in the beauty. Nothing to fear.”
A hand reached for me, grabbing my arms, roughly pinning me down. I screamed, but a man came into view his rugged face all too familiar.
So this is what happened to everyone in the forest.
He drew a knife, holding it to my back, I staggered forwards as the other man pushed me.
“Tell me where the kingdom's stores are, Princess.”
I stared up at him defiantly, refusing to back down.
“You've taken my parents, you've ravaged the kingdom. What more can you take that I care about?”
“Maybe your parents aren't dead.” he said, and I started.
“Maybe they're right over there,” my eyes followed his pointing finger. 

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

Second place winner: 

Rachel glided easily through the forest, never pausing for a rest, even though the river was a good deal away from the village. Once the river was in view, she ran ecstatically to it. Rachel stopped herself a second too late, and fell into the raging water below. A few seconds later, a sopping wet head popped out of rushing river. With a mischievous grin plastered on her face, she swam over to the side of the river and climbed onto one of the many rocks. Laughing blissfully, Rachel let herself fall back into the river. She swam around for a few minutes, just enjoying life and being happy that she was finally away from Saturday cleaning. Whew! What a relief! Rachel thought slipping easily through the water. “Well, I guess I need find the bucket to get the water for mother.” Rachel grumbled leaving to look for the bucket and figure out a good excuse because she’d used the same one for four months. Rachel strolled along the river, when she noticed an unusual boat tied up along the rocky shore. Normally, she wouldn’t have noticed something like that, but today was no ordinary day for Rachel. She tried just looking for the bucket, but her curiosity got the best of her. She went to the boat. As soon as she got a good look at the boat, something hit her in the back of her head and she remembered no more. 

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

First place winner: 

I don't care for memories, but two things are etched permanently into the corner of my mind; and they both involve the eyes of the girl who stole something from me that I didn't even know was there.
The first is the way her dark eyes looked fearlessly into mine the day she trusted me with her life. The second is this, this very moment, as those same eyes look at me with a horror I've only seen once before, as if she doesn't know me any longer. 
The span of three feet between us feels like an utter impasse. All I want is to step over, grab her tight, and take her away from the pain written in those eyes. But to do that, I'd have to take her away from me. 
So I stay where I am.
"Bird-" It's her pet name, the one I gave her. It was stupid until I realized it always made her smile. But now she recoils as if I'd hit her.
"Don't- call me- that..." she turns her head away from me.
"Kristen." I say her name, begging her. I'd get down on my knees if I thought it would do any good, if it would make her forget everything I'd just told her. "I know it's wrong, it's horrible, but I'm sorry." She of all people should know how hard those two words are for me to say. "Please, can't we-"
"We?" The sheer pain in her voice cuts me off. Her hands are white as she clenches them together. "We, Josh?" She raises her head, her eyes tearful and wounded, as if she's ripping out her own heart as she speaks. "We will never be the same again."

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

Honorable Recognitions: 

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

1. His Princess
2. CeCe
3. Sarah

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: hammer, flip flops, and treasure chest. 
• Write a passage based on this picture. 
• Write a passage using this piece of dialogue: I had never been more tempted to lie in my entire life.

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!}