avatarJonathon Sawyer

Summary

The "Monday Mash-Up #23" is a creative writing challenge that encourages authors to explore specific storytelling elements and constraints to spark their creativity and earn points.

Abstract

The Monday Mash-Up #23 is an initiative aimed at writers, particularly those associated with "The Kraken Lore" on Medium. It presents a structured challenge with a main theme and various constraints to inspire authors in their story writing. Participants are encouraged to choose between two main prompts: exploring a character's phobia or recalling a vital memory. Additionally, they must incorporate at least four out of six constraints, such as a unique writing method or the color orange, to earn extra points. A hardcore constraint and a literary device are also provided for additional points. The challenge includes a "Seedling Challenge" for extra credit and encourages writers to tag specific accounts for visibility and points tallying. The rules specify a word count range, the use of specific tags, and the inclusion of a points tally in the story submission. The initiative is designed to foster a sense of community and challenge among writers, with the next Mash-Up anticipated in two weeks.

Opinions

  • The author of the challenge expresses satisfaction with the points awarded to participants in the previous Mash-Up, indicating a fair and thoughtful judging process.
  • There is an acknowledgment of the creativity and effort put into the submissions by Jay C Wells, Rayne Sanning, Diana Thorland, and Jonathon Sawyer, as evidenced by the points they earned.
  • The inclusion of a variety of constraints and the option to choose or flip a coin for certain elements suggest a flexible yet structured approach to inspire writers without limiting their imagination.
  • The challenge appears to be designed to not only test the writers' creativity but also to encourage them to experiment with different writing styles and themes, as seen with the unique writing method and color constraints.
  • The "Seedling Challenge" integration indicates a collaborative spirit within the writing community, encouraging writers to build upon each other's work and share their journeys.
  • The rules and structure of the challenge reflect a playful yet competitive environment that aims to motivate writers while also providing them with recognition and feedback through tags and mentions.

AUTHOR TOOLS | MASH-UP

Monday Mash-Up #23

Story writing prompts to spark your creativity with a challenge

This time, we’re going in deep! | Image created by Author using NightCafé AI

Welcome Kraken Crew to another Monday Mash-Up! Last two times, our prompts touched on changes in the environment around our characters, and their physical characteristics.

This time, let’s dive into some less concrete parts of our stories.

But first, let’s recap:

Tally of Points Earned From Mash-Up #22:

Jay C Wells has finally caught up to the Mashups with his latest ringer for 14 suspenseful points!

Rayne Sanning took on our machine overlords and came out with 14 points!

Diana Thorland went on a heroic quest and returned with 12 points!

Jonathon Sawyer tried to create an Inception moment for 14 points!

Well, I hope everyone is happy with their points, because I’m not giving out any more!

Main Theme (Worth 2 points; pick one or flip a coin!)

Prompt #1 (Heads):

Explore a character’s phobia

Is the character debilitated by their fear, or can they overcome it?

Prompt #2 (Tails):

Your hero must recall a vital memory.

What memory, and are they successful?

Constraints: Worth 1 point each (Choose 4 or roll 4 6-sided dice):

  • A unique writing method (quill, blood, high-tech)
  • The color ORANGE (Pick another color for each roll!)
  • A tired animal
  • An unlikely sidekick
  • A makeshift comb
  • The tide

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

  • A moment of childlike innocence
  • Seething rage

Literary Device: Worth 5 points (Flip a coin or choose one):

Seedling Challenge:

If you are brave, work your Mashup submission into Bradan Writes StoriesSeedling Challenge! For the extra credit, tag both of us so we can follow your story’s journey. This incorporation is worth 10 Extra points!

Rules:

  1. Write a story based on one of the two main prompts.
  2. Include as many of the constraints in your story as possible.
  3. Keep your story between 100–1000 words. Dribble length (50 words) will be excepted for this challenge.
  4. Use the tag “Mashups” so we can easily find your story.
  5. Tag Bradan Writes Stories and me Jonathon Sawyer so that we may read it and credit you for points in the next Mash-Up!
  6. Challenge your fellow writers! I challenge FJCMontenegro and Jacinta Palmer to answer this challenge. I hope you’ll also consider the Seedling Challenge too!
  7. Publish wherever you want but consider The Kraken Lore.
  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! Look out for the next Mashup by Bradan Writes Stories!

Fiction
Fantasy
Mashups
The Kraken Lore
Writing Prompts
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