Good evening everyone! tonight I’ve submitted my entry into the Nonsense Writing Challenge and I’m feeling in a good writing frame of mind. I do encourage those who are needing some motivation or writing credits to give this a try. Tomorrow I’ll be heading to my new work (I guess) A.K.A Starbucks to continue my one of my writing projects. I’m trying to illustrate it myself so let’s see how that goes!
Back in the writing world tonight, I entered this gem of a competition Ad Hoc Fiction.
The rules for this were to follow a 150 word count max and to include the word “set”. It was free to enter so why not give it a go yourselves?
This was my entry:
The Amateur Baker
She had never been great at baking or cooking; her culinary skills were somewhat limited to microwave meals and beans on toast. Her heart was never content in the kitchen but as an only child and a big birthday coming up for her mum, she had agreed to bake an exquisite birthday cake for the big occasion.
Unveiling the cake to her mum proved she should stay clear of baking altogether for she had somehow squashed the bottom half of the Victoria Sponge so it looked almost L shaped with the top layer resting and drooping on it. She knew it looked nothing like the picture but her explanation was reasonable “The last step reads ‘let the cake sit’, so I made it look chair like’”. Her mum shook her head before tapping on the recipe instructions “Let the cake set, not sit!”.
It’s loosely based on my old self, I never was into cooking, only the eating part! These days with 2 children I’m trying to venture away from freezer chicken and chips and delve more into wholesome and enjoyable flavours.
I skipped last night’s challenge and I don’t think I can double write tonight, so schedule wise and performance wise here’s how the progress has gone so far:
Day & Challenge
1 – 50 Word Stories
2 – Your Story 84
4 – 365 Creative Writing Prompts
6 – Day #5 Writing Challenge – Ad Hoc Fiction
Today is technically day 6 but it’s the 5th challenge! I’m gutted but will keep on writing!
Inspired by the Prompt Me With Your Best Shot I found a great prompt for tonight’s challenge http://thinkwritten.com/365-creative-writing-prompts/
I opted for this:
12. Greeting: Write a story or poem that starts with the word “hello”.
Hello, you’ve reached the voicemail of “MEW MEW MEW MEW”, if you’re new to this service please listen to the following options, otherwise key in the number you wish to connect to.
(I wait for the speaker to continue)
For cat food replenishment general queries press 1
For sending an apology due to litter tray being dirty for too long press 2
For admitting you were wrong about the cats unable to catch the spider press 3
For forgetting to say hello to the cats when you got back home press 4
For ignoring their middle of the night cries press 5
For disturbing their sleep for selfish reasons such as wanting a cuddle press 6
For shouting at them for throwing up fur balls on the rug press 7
For catching them washing their paws in your glass of water and as a result of your screaming they spilt it all down themselves causing extra cleaning hassle when they wanted to go and kill the wood pigeon instead press 8
For not smiling at them press 9
For smiling too much press 0
Or if you wish to speak with one of the operators please be aware “MEW MEW MEW MEW” does not tolerate the above antics so any feelings of guilt and hopelessness you have is perfectly acceptable and makes them happy. Please go and beg them for forgiveness.
(I will chance it and speak with an operator)
Connecting to an operator, you are in position 3.
(3? – I look over to the front room where my husband and 2 children are all on phones, my husband is pleading down the phone, I hear the words “I’m clumsy”, “It was all my fault” and “I will do whatever you want” and decide to hang up and decide to give them an apologetic supply of biscuits next time I see them, I just wanted to know where they are!).
********
Some of the above suggestions have happened (as a cat owner, who doesn’t go through this?) and although the prompt may be putting my 2 cats in a position of incredible power and potential negativity I love, respect and adore them to bits. Love you Spud and Rodney.
The picture was taken at lunch time today
Tonight’s challenge came from a website called Sweek, there are a lot of competitions on here and I feel there may be other nights where I drift back to it.
It took my whole 2+ hours to write tonight, then edit, then add extra in and then edit again, repeat until the maximum 200 word count is reached.
Please click the link below to view the entry, I think the judging is based on hashtag likes so click away.
I may expand on this micro story for my children, I think they’d enjoy it.
Until tomorrow readers, goodnight and keep on writing.
Good evening readers.
Tonight’s challenge has come from Your Story #84
The rules are 25 words or fewer based on the image above. I’m not able to publish the submission but if I was a pushy sales rep I’d say it was the best in the business.
Give it a go, it’s free to enter. What have you got to lose?
I will start venturing into longer challenges around the 15th day. Interestingly, because of the constraints with these super short pieces of work, I’m having to make every word count and so the thinking process behind the idea and its fruition is enjoyable but tricky.
Also a thing to note if anyone else decides to undertake this sort of challenge, plot in advance which competitions you will enter otherwise a good chunk of each writing session might consist of searching google…and that never turns out well does it?
The silly splinter jammed under my finger came out tonight after it had embedded itself in my hand for several hours today. Itchy and sore are the best words to describe the wound. Once done I then proceeded with the writing challenge. I started a little later tonight, much later than expected so I looked for a short competition to kick start this challenge off. I came across this little gem:
The submission has been entered and as an added twist I had to include a third person biography which was something new but the words just seem to pour out in coherent sentences, like it was all stored in my brain waiting for this opportunity.
I recommend giving it a go, it’s free to enter and there’s a chance to feature on their website.
Predator by Tanya Butler
He was lurking near the kitchen, peering around the door, going unnoticed. Optimal situation. His line of fire was clear and precise. The target would never know it’s harrowing fate. Silence all around.
Then “BHAM!” Chip pounced on the fly that had been taunting his fluffy cat head all morning.
Day #1 – challenge accepted and submitted.
I’m off to bed now. Keep creating wonderful characters, vivid settings and magnificent worlds writers!
Starting tonight, when I clock on to work, I will participate in the start of a 30 day challenge. The rule is to enter a writing competition every day, the aim is to try other avenues of writing and to keep the creative train chugging along nicely.
It’s a goal that can be achieved, though it may become costly, but I feel I’m ready to exert a bit of pressure when it comes to writing.
I have free time in the afternoon today to write, wow, my head has been so full of excitement and uncertainty over how to spend a whole hour to myself I’ve had to calm down and crack on with some writing to fully benefit by this.
I’ve entered another competition today, it’s a free one and I recommend giving it a go especially as it’s free to enter and there’s a £25 cash prize.
First Line Writing Competition
The rules are to take inspiration from a picture and “wow” with our words, very beautiful don’t you think?
I couldn’t find any terms or conditions so to protect the rights and the rules the submission will not be posted on here but I will provide an update once the judging has taken place. Wish me luck!
Hello readers!
Tonight I’ve entered another competition, 81 words, the rules are as the title implies, 81 words. Here is my submission:
Matthew
“Matthew, can you say Daddy?” Matthew stares blankly.
“Matthew, can you say Mummy?” Matthew looks to Mummy and babbles “Mum, Mum”.
“Matthew, say Daddy” Matthew smiles.
“Matthew, DAD-DY” Matthew’s attention has gone, he moves onto all fours and crawls away.
Daddy has now given up, he heads down the stairs.
Mummy picks up her child “Matthew, say Daddy” Matthew looks to the stairs “Da-da!”
Mummy runs down the stairs with him. “Say it again” Matthew pauses and then babbles “Mum, Mum”.
Short but sweet and from personal experience this is more close to non fiction than fiction, I think all parents have gone through something similar
Tonight I have taken a break from the story and as promised I’ve started looking into short stories and checking out competitions.
I entered this little gem of a competition, Nonsense Writing, as a writer who often enjoys writing for this genre I had a fun evening coming up with this:
Clumsy Fruits
Justine the Orange was red. She had been sunbathing too long and felt a bit crispy. Her husband Dennis, the cucumber, was purple. He had fallen down the stairs and was heavily bruised. This was their worst holiday yet.
Roderick the potato, was their holiday representative and green in colour because he was extremely unwell. “Let me get someone who can help you” spoke Roderick through a sick bag. With a click of his fingers he summoned over Billy the Lemon, he was blue for he had spilt ink from a fountain pen all over himself. Roderick pointed to the couple and Billy took over “I’m sorry to hear you’re not having a great holiday but as you can see we are all having similar issues too” he motioned his arm around the office, everyone was effected by this sudden surge of clumsiness. “If I were you I’d get on the first plane out of here as soon as you can” and ushered them out of the door.
Together they looked a walking disaster so the local bar man, a human, turned them into a delicious smoothie because that’s what you do with fruit when it starts to go off.
Good luck to all writers who are currently entering competitions. Catch you tomorrow.
Tan M Butler 
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