Draft
Tropes Love A Showgirl
Kanye West made Taylor Swift famous. I liken Taylor Swift to a mega church. There is a book (lyrics) at the heart of the fervent adoration, but somewhere between merchandise and sing-alongs, the message gets lost. I do not aim to denigrate her talent. However, to separate the zealots at her feet from the power of her white woman victimhood mythology is to remove the essential piece of the narrative that has made Taylor Swift more holy than harassed. It isn’t that any particular Swift album is overrated; it’s that her discography exists within a cultural hegemony that often overlooks how the victim narrative bolstered her from country to pop.
By Cali Loriaabout a month ago in Critique
The Silent Reunion
For years, the story of the royal family had been filled with distance, tension, and unanswered questions. Headlines spoke of disagreements, interviews revealed hidden emotions, and the world watched closely as relationships seemed to break apart piece by piece.
By Behind the Curtain2 months ago in Critique
The Red Boots. Runner-Up in Not Quite There Yet Challenge.
My mother used to read what I called "sick kid books" -- stories from parents whose children had rare diseases or crippling disabilities. Since we offspring were all healthy, I wondered at her tastes. I didn't want to have anything to o with them -- as if the suffering might be contagious.
By Sonia Heidi Unruh2 months ago in Critique
Don't Be Afraid To Do The Unusual Thing. Top Story - July 2026.
“Last saved 2 years ago”. That’s what my draft page says, though I know it’s actually been more like 3. This is a true story, about a real person who was born over 130 years ago. It’s the first piece that I ever started writing for Vocal Media, and it has been sitting in publishing limbo since the very first day I got the nerve to try and be a real writer on a public platform.
By Mama Magdalene2 months ago in Critique
“The Station” I Remember. Honorable Mention in Not Quite There Yet Challenge.
The Station Chase stood alone on the empty platform. It was late at night and the fog was rolling in from the surrounding forest, making the already slick grime that coated the old cobblestones even more slippery. The stars and the moon couldn’t shine through the haze, leaving the lone lamppost to illuminate the small space from where it stood at the corner of the platform. The frogs croaked in the depths of the woods and the crickets chirped in the grass. It wouldn’t be long and cicadas would join the chorus.
By Ophelia Keane Braeden2 months ago in Critique
My Self-Critique of My Writing Battle Entry (Part Deux)
This is a breakdown of my most recent entry into the Writing Battle that didn’t make it out of the peer judging round. I recommend reading it before you dive into my self-critique of why it doesn’t work because nothing says, “Hey go read this!” quite like leading off with, "Hey this didn’t actually place so it might not be very good!”
By Matthew J. Fromm2 months ago in Critique
