S. A. Crawford
Bio
Writer, reader, life-long student - being brave and finally taking the plunge by publishing some articles and fiction pieces.
Stories (168/0)
Freya's War Cry
The concept of 'feminine rage' has been floating around for some time, but I feel like it has taken off in recent years, largely due to the wave of self-expression amongst younger women on TikTok. It may seem contradictory, at first; rage, after all, is a human emotion, one step above anger and, I would argue, one below wrath.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Beat
The Perfectionist Diaries - 3
Good friends are worth their weight in gold; mine are some of the best. No matter how silly I become, how wrapped up in my own head, how afraid of failure or stagnation, they bring lightness and fun to my life. I am not ashamed nor afraid to say that my life wouldn't amount to very much without them.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Confessions
One Foot in the Past: a Playlist
Time runs through our fingers like water, and the harder we try to hold onto it, the quicker it goes. This is something everyone has to come to terms with, but music has always been there. It holds the mystic cords of memory in place, and can bring us back to a time long past with a single note. In fact, research into neuroplasticity and music suggests that music therapy could alleviate some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Beat
Fading Footsteps
Four footsteps in soft mud, two small, two large. One forward, one behind, winding ever forward with lessons along the way. Growing until they match, like reflections. When the pace changes and they switch, I will not leave you behind. You taught me to look forward, hold up my chin, be careful, and be kind. Though the lessons were taught, counted in mismatched footsteps, I find, as yours fall back, that I cannot forgive time.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Fiction
Flying for Beginners
Wind brushed softly over the rusty bridge, picking up leaves as it went, and the sunlight was like thick, golden syrup on the world. She had always wanted to fly, a childish dream that seemed impossible. All her dreams had seemed impossible until now. With the gentle wind running its fingers through her hair, it felt painfully possible. Ahe saw the sparkling water, the floating birds, and heard children laughing beyond the treeline. The world was beautiful, she thought, but she was already halfway down.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Fiction
The Perfectionist Diaries - 2
Vocal has proven to be so much more than a platform, for me. It was the place I first won a runner-up prize for writing (a love poem that I am immensely proud of, though I have now learned more about poetry and can see its flaws), it's where I first uploaded an original short story for everyone to see, it's where I took the plunge and entered a folkloric horror story into the Vocal+ Fiction Challenge, coming as a runner up (and bagging a cheeky free year of Vocal+).
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Confessions
- Top Story - March 2023
Enforcing failure to avoid self-rejectionTop Story - March 2023
I have never considered myself to be a perfectionist; my motto, professionally, academically, and personally has always been that my best is good enough. If I fail at work, as a person, or in school (which in all honesty I rarely, if ever, did), I was good at forgiving myself and picking up the pieces.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Psyche
Writing for Your Life
Just like in real life, fights in fiction tend to represent a dramatic change of atmosphere and pace. Even if you're writing an action-packed thriller or a war-filled epic, the reality of close combat is something that should stand out starkly on the pages. Getting the balance right, keeping your reader up to date with the position and condition of your characters, maintaining a realistic pace... it can be daunting.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Journal