avatarJonathon Sawyer

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Abstract

v> <h2>Take It With a Pinch of Sliced Bread</h2> <div><h3>Does it need to be funny to count?</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*OjOL8EH0-X4ujsnb)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="b055"><a href="">Jonathon Sawyer</a> gets 7 points after a self-imposed penalty…</p><div id="c31d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/elevator-to-heaven-629ee4761582"> <div> <div> <h2>Elevator to Heaven</h2> <div><h3>“We’re going up up up up UP!”</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*JvF20n52AxhRCYR_6OEViA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="6735"><a href="undefined">Steve Vernon</a> gets 4 points (even though he wasn’t playing)</p><div id="a71d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-king-of-the-bees-story-83-in-my-story-challenge-82abd2a9597b"> <div> <div> <h2>The King of the Bees [Slight NSFW warning?]</h2> <div><h3>So, when I saw this bee landing on my shoulder I paid it no attention…until the damn thing spoke.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*dXgQojKICX2T0s3t6E_VCA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="a173">Main theme: (Worth 2 points, pick one or flip a coin!)</h2><h2 id="b2f2">Prompt #1 (Heads):</h2><p id="b694" type="7">A ship has only just left its mooring when disaster befalls it!</p><p id="3766">What kind of ‘ship’? What happened? How might the characters solve the problem?</p><h2 id="e4b9">Prompt #2 (Tails):</h2><p id="bfa5" type="7">A stork arrives asking you to sign for a package — a baby in a basket!</p><p id="ca42">What manner of baby? I’ve been told by my mother that this is a true story! Do you accept the del

Options

ivery?</p><h2 id="2506">Constraints: 1 point each (Roll 4d8 — four eight-sided dice — to determine your 4 constraints— or just choose 4; any identical rolls stack!):</h2><ul><li>A popped balloon</li><li>burnt popcorn</li><li>A suitcase that won’t close</li><li>An angry fey creature</li><li>A lost children’s toy</li><li>An old Canadian $2 bill (Ha!)</li><li>The color blue *Subsequent rolls: choose additional color</li><li>Some liquid other than water</li></ul><p id="7319">I hope no one has to write a baby’s story involving four popped balloons and a bottle of Dew, like some sad ending to NENA’s <a href="https://youtu.be/Fpu5a0Bl8eY">99 Luftballons</a></p><h2 id="cc48">Hardcore Constraint: 2 points (Flip a coin or choose one):</h2><ul><li>Two characters swap bodies every time one of them sneezes.</li><li>A character has lost all their memories!</li></ul><h2 id="77ce">Literary Device: (Worth a MEGA 5 bonus points!)</h2><p id="7375">A <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/MacGuffin">MacGuffin</a></p><h2 id="15b9">Rules:</h2><ol><li>Write a story based on one of the main prompts.</li><li>Include as many of the constraints in your story as possible.</li><li>Keep your story between 100–1000 words. Feels too short? Consider a serial, like the <a href="https://medium.com/@bradanwritesstories/list/david-hawke-and-the-wolf-girls-a989dbc2f700">David Hawke</a> stories or my <a href="https://readmedium.com/furnace-guy-saves-planet-earth-6c589ee6fd12">Furnace Guy</a> series.</li><li>Use the tag “Mashups” so we can easily find your story.</li><li>Tag <a href="undefined">Bradan Writes Stories</a> or <a href="undefined">Jonathon Sawyer</a> so that we can read it and credit you for points in the next Mash-Up!</li><li>Challenge your fellow writers. I challenge <a href="undefined">Diana Thorland</a> and <a href="undefined">Kirsty Mackay</a> to answer this challenge!</li><li>Publish where ever you want but consider <a href="https://medium.com/the-kraken-lore">The Kraken Lore.</a> (We especially love stories with sinking ships ❤)</li><li>Add a section that tallies up your points at the end of your story. You can <a href="https://readmedium.com/little-miss-dolittle-56bb6170fe24">look here</a> for an example. (<i>Worth 1 BONUS point</i>)</li></ol><p id="12e2">See you in 2 weeks, Kraken Crew!</p></article></body>

AUTHOR TOOLS | MASH-UP

Monday Mash-Up #19

Story writing prompts to spark your creativity with a challenge

A martinitsa ribbon on a cherry blossom tree | Image generated by Author using Nightcafé AI

“Ahh!! Spring has sprung! We’re taking on water! All hands, abandon sh — ”

Phew, just a bad dream. Working under the tentacled jackboots of the mighty Kraken can be very stressful. Luckily we at the Kraken Lore are solely dedicated to providing the best fiction prompts on this side of the Multiverse!

Some Eastern Europeans celebrate March 1st, Baba Marta Day (Grandma March) by generating AI artwork of people wearing red and white and having way too many fingers —

— Sorry, I lost my mind for a second.

March 1st is celebrated in parts of Europe as young men and women dress in traditional red and white, and the end of March is celebrated around the globe when the Japanese Sakura (cherry blossom) blooms, marking the end to winter. I’m sure there are more: March Break, Spring Break… let me know what you celebrate where you live for March!

Tally of the points earned from Mashup #18:

Rayne Sanning with 8 points.

Sonja Glucksberg gets another 8 points, too!

Jonathon Sawyer gets 7 points after a self-imposed penalty…

Steve Vernon gets 4 points (even though he wasn’t playing)

Main theme: (Worth 2 points, pick one or flip a coin!)

Prompt #1 (Heads):

A ship has only just left its mooring when disaster befalls it!

What kind of ‘ship’? What happened? How might the characters solve the problem?

Prompt #2 (Tails):

A stork arrives asking you to sign for a package — a baby in a basket!

What manner of baby? I’ve been told by my mother that this is a true story! Do you accept the delivery?

Constraints: 1 point each (Roll 4d8 — four eight-sided dice — to determine your 4 constraints— or just choose 4; any identical rolls stack!):

  • A popped balloon
  • burnt popcorn
  • A suitcase that won’t close
  • An angry fey creature
  • A lost children’s toy
  • An old Canadian $2 bill (Ha!)
  • The color blue *Subsequent rolls: choose additional color
  • Some liquid other than water

I hope no one has to write a baby’s story involving four popped balloons and a bottle of Dew, like some sad ending to NENA’s 99 Luftballons

Hardcore Constraint: 2 points (Flip a coin or choose one):

  • Two characters swap bodies every time one of them sneezes.
  • A character has lost all their memories!

Literary Device: (Worth a MEGA 5 bonus points!)

A MacGuffin

Rules:

  1. Write a story based on one of the main prompts.
  2. Include as many of the constraints in your story as possible.
  3. Keep your story between 100–1000 words. Feels too short? Consider a serial, like the David Hawke stories or my Furnace Guy series.
  4. Use the tag “Mashups” so we can easily find your story.
  5. Tag Bradan Writes Stories or Jonathon Sawyer so that we can read it and credit you for points in the next Mash-Up!
  6. Challenge your fellow writers. I challenge Diana Thorland and Kirsty Mackay to answer this challenge!
  7. Publish where ever you want but consider The Kraken Lore. (We especially love stories with sinking ships ❤)
  8. Add a section that tallies up your points at the end of your story. You can look here for an example. (Worth 1 BONUS point)

See you in 2 weeks, Kraken Crew!

Fantasy
Mashups
The Kraken Lore
Writing Prompts
Fiction
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