Light and Shade Challenge

Tom and I are still really stunned and flattered by the positive response to the Light and Shade Challenge.  We have had far too much fun with them, but we have had a lot of real life stuff going on as well.  We really want to keep it going, but perhaps in a slightly different format.  We always knew when we started this last April that we would have to tweak things to get it right.  So here is our first tweak.  It's not going to be that different, as most people seemed to like it generally.  We just want to make it a bit easier to have fun. The challenge is dropping to once per week plus extra challenges twice per month.  We took on board the number of people who missed a challenge or who said that the weekend was a tough time to fit in writing.  I am also aware that some people do a lot of writing over the weekend.  So we have decided that the Challenge will be once per week from Wednesday to the following Tuesday which hopefully will giv...

WE HAVE BEEN GOING SIX MONTHS! Tom and I are slightly stunned at the quality of the links and the kind support of those who post here. To be honest, I didn't think it would last this long.  Thank you all for taking part, and for contributing so much good stuff! So to mark this milestone the challenge is a little bit different this Monday.  First of all the word limit this time is 1000 words or twice the normal limit.  Because that takes a little longer the time to link is extended to fourteen days , so you have until noon GMT on Monday 13th October. I have also had a real rummage to get an interesting picture and I hope it will give a good starting point to have fun. Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Thomas Marlowe Instead of a quote, here is a technique which you could use, refer to, take for inspiration or ignore. I have once again gone to Wiki. Poetic Justice - characters getting their just rew...

Are you ready for the weekend?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 100 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Monday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image courtesy of Aleksandra Furtak and taken from Wiki Commons Here is the quote Does exactly what it says on the ti n - advertisement It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing hit the spot.  Sometimes you can give a little help with a sugge...

Are you ready to start the week?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 500 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Monday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image in public domain and courtesy of New York Public Library taken from Wiki Commons Here is the quote Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing...

Are you ready for the weekend?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 100 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Monday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Lyssa Medana Here is the quote Cool is not cool - Matt Smith in Doctor Who, written by Steven Moffat It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing hit the spot.  Sometimes you can give a little help with a suggestion or hint.  Please comment ...

Are you ready to start the week?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 500 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Monday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image courtesy of Janssenfrank and taken from Wiki Commons Here is the quote Grow old along with me the best is yet to be. Robert Browning It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing hit the spot.  Sometimes you can give a little help with a...

Ready for the weekend?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 100 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.   In an unexpected plot twist the deadline for our challenges will now, due to a polite and well reasoned request be MONDAY at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image courtesy of Amber who released this image into the Public Domain and taken from Wiki Commons Here is the quote There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes . Doctor Who It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give peo...

Are you ready to start the week?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 500 words or less!  You can u se one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Sunday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image courtesy of messi and taken from the Wiki Commons Here is the quote Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing hit the spot.  Sometimes yo...

Are you ready for the weekend?  Below you will find two prompts, one a picture and one a quote.  Have a look and see what story they inspire you to tell and then go for it - in 100 words or less!  You can use one or both and you don't need to refer to them in your writing, just follow that spark of inspiration whether it is fact, fiction or poetry.  You have until next Sunday at noon GMT so go for it.  Have fun, write some stuff and then use the link underneath to let people see it.   Here is the picture prompt.  Please credit it if you use it on your own blog. Image courtesy of cheva and taken from the Wikipedia Commons Here is the quote Shake well before opening - instructions on a milkshake bottle. It is really encouraging to have comments on your work and it can give people a real lift.  Sometimes it is nice to just let someone know that their writing hit the spot.  Sometimes you can give a little help ...