Vocal
Dia de Los Muertos
Purple, amber, and white flowers adorned the table like a garden club meeting. I cannot name them but know the colors. The sun faded over the horizon, and the shifting hues radiated its prisms onto the walls of my daughter's living room. I escaped the throng of people inside to find my thoughts in the backyard.
Scott WadePublished about 16 hours ago in Fiction
Puzzle Peace: My World of Scrapbooking
Snipping through the center of a Kodak photo I bought from CVS, the silhouette of my creation is placed on cardstock paper. From loose strings of old friendship bracelets to the first page of the daily bulletin from my parish, every useless piece finds purpose once again.
Roya MariePublished a day ago in Motivation
Aaliyah & Left Eye
Aaliyah Haughton and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, Two iconic music legends that left us far too soon in the 2000s. During the 90s, Aaliyah was destined to be R &B's next best thing. Though Lisa was in the girl group TLC, she was destined to make it as a solo rap artist. The two women were at the heights of the careers until the 2000s their lives were taken from unfortunate accidents.
Gladys W. MuturiPublished a day ago in BeatHaunted Places to Visit in Tokyo
If you have been watching the Olympics in Japan, Tokyo, you will know that Tokyo is a beautiful city. It is famous for its shopping districts, traditional culture, cheap electronics, and gleaming castles. And their food is delicious. However, when the sun sets down for the evening. The city is alive with paranormal activity.
Shahjehan KhanPublished a day ago in Wander
Lay Off Simone Biles
As always with these things, it’s hard to know where to begin. Just days ago US Olympian Simone Biles — arguably one of the finest if not the finest competitive gymnast ever to stand atop a medal podium — pulled out of her event at the Tokyo 2020 Games, already the most troubled and arguably most pointless Olympics in the history of the Olympic movement. Biles cited a growing need to focus on her mental health, after early scores in her qualifying round were not what she, or the US Olympic Committee or her fans, expected.
Hamish AlexanderPublished a day ago in Unbalanced
Hand-stitching Your Way To Mental Wellness
Life is full of difficult moments – whether it be times in which we feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks we have to get through or are struggling with the feeling that our efforts don’t seem to be getting us to where we want to be very fast. Perhaps it seems like we get no time for ourselves, or alternatively, that nobody has any time for us, making us feel isolated and disconnected from those we care about. The Coronavirus Pandemic, for many of us, has accentuated these worries, bringing them to the forefront of our minds. If we aren’t mindful of this, we risk spiralling. Finding ways to occupy ourselves or give ourselves a break then, becomes imperative – as we learn below from our interview with the one and only Kelsie May!
Outrageous OptimismPublished a day ago in JournalJiggle Jangle
Back when I was a little girl, around the age of eight, I think I would spend the night at my grandparents’ house whenever my parents worked late or needed some quiet time away. I loved going over to their house and spending the night. Hell, I think I asked every week to stay over, and I usually did. Being a parent now, I can understand why my parents appreciated some alone time away from me.
Joseph T StenbergPublished a day ago in Fiction
Giving Up Salt
For my entire life, I had strangely low blood pressure. It was so low, in fact, that nurses would always take it twice when I went for a check up, believing the initial numbers must have been wrong. They would often tell me it was a wonder I was conscious.
Courtney CaponePublished 3 days ago in FeastAnother Day
briiiing. briiiing. slap. turn off the alarm clock. get up. brush. wash your face. fill a mug with water. trudge to your desk.
Make Your Own Mini Cheesecakes
A cheesecake is still a cheesecake whether it is a mini one or an oversized one. Cheesecakes are tasty and delicious no matter what size they are. If you have a taste for cheesecake, take a few minutes and make your own in a variety of flavors.
Margaret MinnicksPublished 3 days ago in Feast
Creators We’re Loving
Meet the people in your communities creating extraordinary things.
Creator Spotlight: Members-Only Challenge Winner - Denise Elnajjar
Denise Elnajjar is a fashion & lifestyle illustrator, mixed media artist, and writer based out of New York City. Her creative skills and passions came together beautifully in her submission to the Vocal+ exclusive Members-Only challenge (supported by Memberful), where she ultimately won the largest payout in Vocal challenge history. Denise's first-place-winning piece, "Armchair Traveling to Every Country Through Art," earned her $22,500, and outlined her plan to "implement a project [she's] long thought about, dreamed about, and want[s] to make happen."
Vocal SpotlightPublished 10 days ago in Resources
How To Edit Your Published Vocal Stories!
It happened again. You spent five hours writing the perfect Vocal article. You got so excited by the fact you finished, you accidentally hit "submit for review" before deleting any spelling or grammar mistakes. Or maybe you did check for mistakes, but you missed a couple in your editing session. If only the article wasn't locked while pending for review - you could take them out right now!
Kathryn MilewskiPublished 19 days ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Marcel Grabowiecki
Marcel Grabowiecki is an extraordinarily passionate and driven writer, actor, producer, and director based out of London, UK. We'd say he's an up-and-coming talent, but Marcel's accolades suggest that he already came, went, and has solidified himself as a legitimate player in film and entertainment.
Vocal SpotlightPublished 23 days ago in Resources
Introducing SFS: The Summer Fiction Series
Welcome to Vocal's Summer Fiction Series! We're giving away $6,500 weekly for short fiction Challenges running now through August 31st, and we're inviting you to be a part of it.
Vocal TeamPublished 25 days ago in Resources
Introducing Quick Edit
About a month ago, I reflected on how far Vocal has come, owing in large part to the feedback that we’ve received from you, our creator community. From the introduction of Creator Bonuses, to a major site redesign and the Vocal Ambassador Program, we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built thanks to you. And we’re just as excited about what’s in store for the Vocal community as we continue to provide you with the tools that you need to create better stories.
Justin MauryPublished 25 days ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Joe Shetina
Joe Shetina is a queer writer, poet, and playwright from Chicago, Illinois. Amongst the many facets of their literary prowess, we find Joe's ability to establish trust with the reader most impressive. Whether that's in a fictional tale of post-apocalyptic Chicago, or in a non-fictional reflection piece on flatulence in middle school gym class, Joe's authority over the narratives they tell leads readers away from storyline skepticisms that so-often plague even the most experienced storytellers.
Vocal SpotlightPublished about a month ago in Resources
