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: 81
• Mary B: 53
• Elisabeth: 50
• Funto: 9
• Benj. Evans: 30
• S. Brightly: 7
• Jacqueline: 53
• Rebekah B: 38
• Anna: 27
• His Princess: 45
• Tara T: 46
• Evan: 10
• Rcubed: 54
• Sarah: 57
• Jillian: 10
• Brooke: 12
• Kaley: 2
• Karina: 23
• Kaira Anne: 26
• Katheline: 10
• Lottie Le: 6
• CeCe: 10
• Marsh: 10

*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.

Also, great job on the entries this week! The judge panel was very impressed and had quite a hard time judging your entries. =)

Since there were two entries that had the same amount of points for 3rd place, we have decided that they both deserved to place. 

(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 (tie): 

I bent my head, was I really to die tonight?

The sea below me was bronze. The sun and clouds above me matched. It was beautiful, really, except for the fact that I was to die.

“Do you wish to tell the truth now, Abriana?”

I looked over my shoulder at him. He raised the ax a bit higher to where the sun caught it, blinding my sight.

“I have told you the truth the whole time. I. Didn’t. Do. It.” I clenched my jaw.

“Your choice, Abriana. But please trust me when I say that it is such a waste to lose you.” He looked almost saddened.

I bowed my head again, “Let Thy will come, Lord Jesus.”

I heard him takes several steps towards me and around me before he stopped by my side.

I thought a moment, what should my last words be? ‘I didn’t do’? ‘Why don’t you listen to me’? Should I even have any last words right now? No, I shouldn’t.

I thought of everything that had happened in my life, should I quote one of those things?

Right then, and right there, I decided something. I looked up, I saw him raise the ax high above my head, ready to bring it down on my neck.

I had to move fast. When it was coming down, I moved in a flash. I kicked it out of his hand to the bronze water below.

While he was still caught in a shock, I swung on my heel and started to run for me life. Of all days, why did I choose to wear a dress?

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

Third place winner (tie): 

She knelt alone on the damp sand-cliff, facing the rising of the sun. The wind blew warmly against her skin as she watched the beating of the waves against the shoreline, beating like the brokenness of her heart. It was amazing, this heart of hers; even when the bloody bruises of all her yesterdays mangled it beyond recognition, the weight of wounds crushing it down, it would not give up, but continued to beat steadily.

It was a miracle all of its own. Every minute, every second, of every day, she lived her own little miracle. Simply by the very act of breathing.

She clasped her hands over her heart as her eyes took in the beauty of the waters. She'd lived through more pain than she had ever thought possible, but she would not let it define her. It could not own her. Not anymore.

She murmured the words into the salty breeze. "By His wounds I am healed, by His grace I am redeemed. The old has gone, the new has come." She whispered it in defiance of all that sought to keep her bound in darkness.

"I am the one Jesus loves."

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

Second place winner: 

I left.
I’m done.
I’m free.

I ran for miles. I ran without stopping even though my lungs burned something fierce and my shaky legs threatened to give out at any moment. I ran until I reached the edge of the cliff, and I collapsed gracelessly onto my knees as I greedily sucked in gasps full of the salty air. 

No more shackles.
No more Godless, sleazy men.
No more torment.

I allow the relief to wash over me and the anxiety to dissolve as I look out over the clear blue waters and rolling waves. I’m finally safe. They can’t hurt me anymore. After countless months of being trapped in the dark, damp cell, after being stripped of every ounce of my dignity, and after being forced to endure the endless torture of my captor and his companions, I’m finally free, and I'm never looking back.

I fought.
I’m alive.
I’m safe.

As the sea breeze dances through my unkempt hair, I allow myself to smile for the first time in months. I can finally breathe.

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

First place winner: 

I had never been more tempted to lie my entire life. Of course, most of the other times, I gave into the temptation. This time was different. Not only was I staring down the barrel of a gun, but this time, I actually didn’t lie. Sure, lying probably would have spared me, easy as that. But I couldn’t. 
This time, I had a weakness, one that made me willing to give my life for another person. Love. It’s a word that made me want to hurl into the bushes, but at the same time almost made me want to smile despite the life-or-death situation. 
Josh’s eyes burned holes into my head. I could imagine their soft brown igniting as they stared at me. I didn’t expect him to jump in to save me, or even to try. I’d basically given him away to the soldiers just to save myself. Now was my time to right my wrong. 
The soldier jerked his gun closer to my face. “Tell me. Now.”
“I took Josh as a hostage. I forced him to lead me to your base. Go ahead.” I closed my eyes in anticipation of the crack of the gun. 
It came. The crack echoed in my ears, but the bullet never pierced my skin. I opened my eyes a couple seconds later to see Josh sprawled across the ground in front of me, blood spilling from a wound in his chest that was meant for me. His brown eyes met mine, and he mouthed one word: “Okay.” That word alone told me everything I needed to know. 

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

Honorable Recognitions: 

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

1. Jacqueline
2. Mary B
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: jacket, suitcase, and broom. 
• Write a passage based on this picture. 
• Write a passage using this piece of dialogue: This could have happened any other time. Why today?

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!}