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Monday Mash-Up #7

Story writing prompts to spark your creativity with a challenge

It’s dark and dreary outside. The weight of the world is beginning to crush you. Oh wait, it’s just a Monday. Let me help you make it better with a healthy dose of Monday Mash-Up. If you’d like extra helpings you can take a look at what some of the creative minds of Medium whipped up these past several weeks.

Monday Mash-Up Leaderboard (Culmination of Mash-Ups #3 — #6)

1st place: Sweet Chaos and JF Danskin tied with 33 points

2nd place: Jonathon Sawyer with 30 points

3rd place: Zane Dickens with 24 points

4th place: Rayne Sanning with 22 points

5th place: Ben Ulansey with 18 points

6th place: Sonja Glucksberg with 16 points

7th place: FJCMontenegro with 9 points

8th place: Kathy K, Sieran Lane, Glenn Whitlock, Jacinta Palmer and CK Green tied with 8 points

9th place: Melissa with 6 points

10th place: Kirsty Mackay with 5 points

11th place: Jim McDonald with 2 points

These scores are the final scores of September. As of this edition of Monday Mash-Up the scores have been reset to zero. May the odds ever be in your favor.

This week’s main theme is: (Worth 2 points, pick one)

“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t summon a trans-dimensional entity to help me avoid my problems.”

Or

“It’s only on fire a little bit. You can still use it.”

In addition to the main writing prompt, I encourage you to include as many constraints as possible. Each one is worth an additional point!

How many points can you make your story worth?

Constraints: (Worth 1 point each)

• Someone uses the excuse “I’m a writer” to justify something.
• Someone is wearing socks and walks on the wet floor.
• The fire is “on fire”.
• Someone tries to do something malicious but it turns out for the best. Example: You throw a newborn baby out the window but it was actually a baby demon.

Hardcore Constraint: (Worth 2 points)

• Include a malaphor.

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.
4. Use the tag “Mashups” if you like.
5. Tag me so that I can read it and credit you for points in the next Mash-Up, please!
6. Challenge your fellow writers.
7. Publish where ever 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)

I summoned Sagdruth to write my stories but he keeps walking on the floor with wet socks and setting my things on fire. It is only a little bit on fire but you can still read them by subscribing to my email list! Turns out the shed Sagdruth had burned down was infested with termites anyway. You can help me buy a new shed by leaving a tip on my ko-fi, joining Medium with my referral link, or reading my stories. Was this a good idea? I dunno, I’m a writer but I’ll burn that bridge when I cross it.