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Influences and Inspirations
Hey Everybody! Thank you so much for checking out the stories and engaging with the world that I’m making. This has been super fun for me to experiment with writing creatively outside of the music space. After working so hard on these short fantasy stories, I wanted to take a step back and do a more personal exploration of where some of these ideas are coming from, some of my inspirations and some of the stuff that I really like. Some of these things I talk about in this post may not seem like they connect to the fantasy world of Randos I’m creating or my music but these are the things that I enjoy and make me who I am creatively on some level. Hope you guys enjoy this piece and I will get back to more fantasy content soon!
Braison CyrusPublished 9 days ago in HumansSorceress Part 1
SUMMER I sat on the top of the bluffs, my legs dangling over the side. I lifted my face up to the sun, enjoying the morning light. I could see for miles up here, and everything seemed peaceful in the early morning sun. I breathed deeply, feeling calm. A scuff off to my right and behind me caught my attention. I turned slightly, to see a man slowly inching his way along a precarious ledge, his eyes on me. Red-blonde hair, blue eyes, he had that cute guy-next-door kind of look. Standing next to me he probably would be a bit taller than I was.
Lauren FairliePublished about 17 hours ago in Fiction
Forward
Flipping through the pages of my mind I need something new to find To discover thoughts yet to be written Open up ideas to fit in
Chris GrieschePublished about 17 hours ago in Poets
Essential Advice on Writing and Life from Maya Angelou
Life is full of joy and happiness, but it's also full of struggles and pain. I'm glad our world has been blessed with wise people like Dr. Maya Angelou, who've come along and left their imprint on the world. When my brain feels as though it will explode into spaghetti noodles at any minute, such wisdom is vital in keeping it all together.
JoAnn RyanPublished about 18 hours ago in Motivation
I like looking at you in the dark
hmm, we have been trapped like this before A never ending loop of harsh teachers Giving us grades only based on fear And here we are, looping into a madness
Melissa IngoldsbyPublished 3 days ago in PoetsI met the other me today.
Shaking my head did little to relieve the grogginess I felt. A bad combination of late night, poor diet, and other destructive decisions led to an even worse morning. Even so, I still had to force myself awake, using the annoyance of my blaring morning reminder that I would likely be late to work.
Thomas GreyPublished 3 days ago in Horror
Broken Glass
Along the hot, white beach, it glistened green, bright among the scallops and periwinkles. Strange and smooth, mother sun shining through it
Michèle NardelliPublished 3 days ago in PoetsWhy Nasir “Nas” Jones Deserves a Nobel Prize in Literature
A slight rasp and precise diction; the projects become vivid scapes; wisdom becomes a thugged out ticket into the ruggedness of the urban zones of Queensbridge, Queens, New York City. The street poet Nas has shined a light into the dim places of the inner cities for decades now.
Skyler SaundersPublished 3 days ago in Poets
Movie Review: Netflix Once Again Cashes in on Marilyn Monroe with 'Blonde'
Blonde (2022) Directed by Andrew Dominik Written by Andrew Dominik Starring Ana De Armas, Adrian Brody Release Date September 23rd, 2022
Sean PatrickPublished 21 days ago in Geeks
Review of 'Blonde'
Just watched Blonde on Netflix. I'm sorry to say I found only the acting was excellent. Let's talk about that excellence first. Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane delivered an Oscar worthy performance, conveying the 20% bravado/80% vulnerability that we think we know of Marilyn just perfectly. The voice, the facial expressions, and body language were so good, I could believe I was seeing Marilyn on the screen.
Paul LevinsonPublished 4 days ago in Filthy
Challenges
Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test.
Christopher Paolini's Fantasy Fiction
Write a fantasy fiction story for a chance to meet Christopher Paolini & $10,000.
$10,000 & 30 min Zoom Call with Christopher Paolini Grand Prize33 days leftGet Comfortable
Write a poem that celebrates what gives you comfort.
$5,000 Grand PrizeClosed24/7 Companion
Created with: Sundays For DogsWrite about your favorite memory with your pet.
$2,500 Grand PrizeClosed
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Resources
Discover tips, guides, updates, and spotlights from our team.
Vocal Moderation Updates
If you are a veteran Vocal+ Creator, you may have noticed changes recently in moderation protocol. It's likely your stories are being moderated faster than ever. This is not a coincidence.
Vocal TeamPublished 9 days ago in Resources
Write Here, Write Now: Everyone has a Yellow Coat by Flora Weston
From Write Here, Write Now: A Vocal Podcast, Everyone has a Yellow Coat by Flora Weston. People aren’t always what you expect; it’s wise to pause before rushing to judgment. After a reading of “Everyone has a Yellow Coat,” host Erica Wagner talks with author Flora Weston about how asking a simple question about an ugly coat actually changed her life.
Write Here, Write Now: A Vocal PodcastPublished 2 months ago in Resources
Write Here, Write Now: My Single Friend by Caitlin Fladager
From Write Here, Write Now: A Vocal Podcast, My Single Friend by Caitlin Fladager. How do you keep that 'first date' feeling alive after 12 years of marriage? What happens when you start to yearn for your single days? In the inaugural episode of Write Here, Write Now, host Erica Wagner sits down with Caitlin Fladager, TikToker extraordinaire, passionate advocate for mental health—and a wife and mother. They cover everything from first date to first child to how her family is today.
Write Here, Write Now: A Vocal PodcastPublished 2 months ago in Resources
Introducing the Vocal App
2022 has been a year of explosive growth for Vocal. At the heart of our product strategy, we have remained laser-focused on building social-oriented features to foster community across the platform. A perfect highlight of this was the recent release of our most requested feature, Comments. With over 25,000 comments exchanged and counting, this feature was the most quickly adopted in Vocal history.
Justin MauryPublished 3 months ago in Resources
Write Here, Write Now: A Vocal Podcast
When I asked Vocal creator RJ Wade whether she found a commitment to writing early on in her life, or whether the development of her gift was a slower burn, her response was immediate and powerful. “It was right away, and it was full-blown and passionate,” she said of her love affair with the written word.
Erica WagnerPublished 3 months ago in Resources
The Vocal Community Reacts to Roe's Reversal
The constitutional right to an abortion—granted to all U.S. citizens in 1973 in the case of Roe v. Wade—was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday, drastically altering the future of health care and bodily autonomy in the United States. The Vocal Team recognizes and acknowledges that this is a deeply complex ongoing conversation, and many groups are divided over this issue. While some are celebrating, others are grappling with feelings of hopelessness, confusion, and grief due to the Court's decision. To aid our community, we have created a list of links and resources to inform and facilitate ongoing discussions around the subject of abortion rights in the U.S.
Vocal TeamPublished 3 months ago in Resources
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