Vocal
Merlin & Me
For the past several years I have been entertained by a regular visitor. He arrives faithfully each morning and I find myself expecting and looking forward to his company increasingly. What is his name? I have not a clue but I call him Merlin, he seems to like that name. Sometimes he even brings along a friend or two to keep my company as I enjoy my morning coffee and come to life.
Rebecca Lynn IveyPublished about 5 hours ago in PetlifeIn Response to “Super Size Me”, Should McDonald’s Have Been Banned?
Morgan Spurlock was just a regular guy. But he was a regular guy who had a desire for film making, and an interest in finding out the extent to which the food industry was playing a role in America’s obesity epidemic. So in 2004, he set out with his film camera and embarked on a social experiment to find out more. Should McDonald’s be banned? The filmmaker wanted to explore and the documentary Super Size Me was born.
Warren PattersonPublished about 20 hours ago in Longevity
The Best-Developed Harry Potter Character
The Harry Potter series has a lot of characters. Some well-developed, some not, some only mentioned for a few sentences before they vanish again. But the character with arguably the best and most consistent development is one that tends to shock most people when I point it out.
Natasja RosePublished a day ago in Geeks
Someone Broke Into My Bedroom With A Gun In the Middle of the Night
Four things that will be important later 1) I slept naked. 2) I had the loft bedroom, and it had a balcony that looked down into the living room.
Eric DovigiPublished a day ago in Motivation
Ernest Hemingway's Advice about Writing You Must Not Ignore
Ernest Hemingway, one of the greatest American writers won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954 "for his powerful, style-forming mastery of the art of narration."
Dew LangrialPublished a day ago in JournalThe apology my fourth grade teacher really deserves...
It was the year 2003. I was in fourth grade. My dad had just recently started letting me say "crap". It was a privilege that was revoked within 24 hours because my sister and I literally said it in every sentence - even when it made zero sense given the context of the sentence.
Jaquelyn CannonPublished a day ago in ConfessionsSomeone has to pay the bills
You don’t want to be called lazy, so you work tirelessly to appease society, working a job that causes you undue stress throughout the day while you
The Word in “Hereditary”
The world is made of language. The word is primary, more primary than the speed of light, more primary than any of the physical constants that are assumed by science to be the bedrock of reality. — Terence McKenna, Shamans Among The Machines
MoviesPlusBooksPublished 2 days ago in Horror
Mantan Moreland was almost one of The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges: There could have been a black one Mantan Moreland was an African American actor born September 3, 1902 and passed away on September 28, 1973. He was a comedian who was most popular during the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in a number of films includiing Cabin in the Sky where his hair was pointed like horns and he portrayed Lucifer Jr. The actor was well known for his comedic timing and the way he bulged his eyes. Mantan did Broadway and also toured Europe.
Cheryl E PrestonPublished 2 days ago in Geeks
Tapping Into the Core of Me
Much to my surprise nearly a decade ago I participated in my first big obstacle race. The first of two Tough Mudders (and I did a Spartan for good measure). It wasn’t something I ever thought of myself doing back then, until a friend decided she wanted to lose weight and her goal was to complete a TM. She dragged a group of us into her goal and I found myself committing to it, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. In the end she didn’t do the race but the rest of us did. Somewhat unexpectedly I found I loved it. When the event came back the following year, I was happy to jump right back into that starting pit.
Kylie CalwellPublished 2 days ago in Psyche
The Remarkably Real Challenge
Supported by: Charles & ColvardTell us a candid story where your authentic self shone through.
$5,000 Grand Prize22 days leftThe Vocal+ Fiction Awards
Enter our biggest Challenge yet: 25 winners, $125,000 in prizes, and Vocal's first ever book of short stories by our creators.
$5,000 Grand Prize30 days leftThe Scarlet Macaw
Supported By: Untamed PhotographerShare a creative story that includes the endangered bird, the Macaw.
$2,500 Grand PrizeFinished
Creators We’re Loving
Meet the people in your communities creating extraordinary things.
Creator Spotlight: Justin Douglas Lee
Justin Douglas Lee is a writer and poet who covers everything from science fiction, to music reviews, dog content, and reflections on his experiences with homelessness and mental illness. While it was his fiction that drew us in initially, one look at Justin's poetry and non-fiction pieces kept us engaged and confirmed his talent as an all-around creator.
Vocal SpotlightPublished 11 days ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Casey Promise Thompson
Casey Promise Thompson is a mixed media artist, writer, and poet based out of Nashville, Tennessee. A studied virtuoso in the visual arts, Casey came to Vocal in pursuit of a new form of artistry—one that's been reluctantly placed on the back burner since middle school. Writing has always offered Casey a different sense of expression, and now she finds herself engrained in the endlessly supportive Vocal community.
Vocal SpotlightPublished about a month ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Tom Bradbury (In Memoriam)
Tom Bradbury was everything we could have asked for in a Vocal creator. He was diligent and intentional with his craft—always putting every ounce of genuine effort into his stories. He was a knowledgeable and patient resource to others—always teaching and lending a helping hand to fellow creators. He was brilliantly himself—always an authentic glimmer in the greater spectrum of creators on Vocal.
Vocal SpotlightPublished about a month ago in Resources
Introducing the Vocal+ Fiction Awards
Since the launch of Challenges nearly two years ago, our mission has remained consistent: inspire great stories and put money directly into the hands of our most unique, innovative creators. Now, we're celebrating two huge milestones simultaneously. As of this week, over 100,000 stories have been entered into Challenges, and we have given away over $500,000 directly to our creators. That's one hundred thousand ways to inspire, and a half a million reasons to celebrate your creativity.
Vocal TeamPublished 2 months ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Poems by Kiesha
Poems by Kiesha is a project by creator Kiesha Solanki, an independently published poet who, in the span of only four months, has made a name for herself as one of over 27,000 creators in Vocal's Poets community.
Vocal SpotlightPublished 2 months ago in Resources
Creator Spotlight: Call Me Les
Lesley Leatherdale, or "Call Me Les" as she's known on Vocal, is a model creator—plain and simple. Gravitating around her larger-than-life presence on Vocal exists a collection of creator resources and auxiliary communities; each serving to promote the same creator-first environment we strive to foster.
Vocal SpotlightPublished 2 months ago in Resources
