Top Stories
Stories in Journal that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Why the Microfiction Challenge is My Favorite Challenge
Since joining Vocal in January 2022, I’ve entered many challenges. I even won runner-up in the “After the Parade” challenge. Each challenge has had its merits. The timing of “After the Parade” complemented my coming out as omnisexual, “The Fantasy Prologue” gave me an excuse to write in my favorite genre, and “Christopher Paolini’s Fantasy Fiction” had the best prize I’ve seen so far. Others, such as “The Mystery Box,” “The Runaway Train,” and “Under Purple Clouds” have allowed me to experiment with style, genre, or both. However, there’s something about “Microfiction Magic” that has caused it to stand out from all the others as my favorite challenge thus far.
Stephanie HoogstadPublished 12 months ago in JournalFacebook Groups for Vocal Creators: Are These Groups Dinosaurs?
No matter how prolific, majestic, and ALIVE the dinosaurs once were, now we go to visit their remains in Natural History museums all over the world.
Judey KalchikPublished 12 months ago in JournalYou know what Vocal needs? A reading list
It's a Friday night and I've just finished cooking. The scent of satay chicken is still fresh in the air as I sip away at the bottle of soju I've shamelessly cracked open (it's been a long week, ok?). I'm scrolling through the latest submissions of some of the incredible Vocal Creators I've subscribed to, but I can't help but notice some of my favourite writers are missing from the list in my notifications. I know they've posted recently because I saw their work on the 'Top Stories' page when I briefly scrolled past this morning, but I can't see them yet.
J. R. LowePublished 12 months ago in JournalHow to write a story in 100 words (or less)
Urban myth has it that Ernest Hemmingway wrote a complete story in six words for a bet: For sale, baby shoes, never worn.
Raymond G. TaylorPublished 12 months ago in JournalWhen Vocal Earnings Started To Beat A Writer's Medium Earnings
Six months to a year ago, I would not have imagined the possibility I'm about to share. I wouldn't have bet it would become a startling reality. As it has, I'm going to share the facts with you and let you draw whatever conclusions you may.
Jason Ray MortonPublished 12 months ago in JournalClassmate Moms
When you’re a little kid in school many thoughts come to mind about your fellow classmates. You think so-and-so is your best friend, maybe your worst enemy. Maybe they’re very good on the blacktop playing basketball or they’re the fastest runner on the track during gym class. One thing you never think about until you get older is the fact that these classmates will one day grow up and become parents. Yes, one day your fellow toddlers and teenagers are going to have kids of their own who will follow in the footsteps of their youthful decadence.
Joe PattersonPublished 12 months ago in JournalChoosing the Right Tense for Your Novel: Past, Present, or Future?
If there was one thing from my second creative writing class that is going to haunt me for the rest of my career it would be my Professors scribbled handwriting on the coversheet of most of the work that I turned in with the words STOP SWITCHING TENSES written in increasingly larger letters as the semester went on.
Elise L. BlakePublished about a year ago in JournalCo-Creating the Apocalypse
Astrologers knew that 2020 was imminent. Typically not with much precision, mind you—although there were some predictions of a viral pandemic, and plenty of vague notions of accelerating social unrest. As an astrologer by birth and by training, I was raised to trust the stars. I have lived countless hours of my life in service to their study, collating their patterns and teasing apart their archetypes.
Morgana MillerPublished about a year ago in JournalTen Questions with Rick Henry Christopher
Back in March 2020 life was very different for me. With the pandemic surging and my body in the throes of a growing prostate cancer I didn't think things could get any worse.
Rick Henry ChristopherPublished about a year ago in JournalA Deep Dive Into My Writing Journey
Subhi Najar (Medium writer) has invited us into another Deep Dive questionaire and this one is diving deeper into our writing.
Colleen MillsteedPublished about a year ago in JournalShow, Don't Tell.
Show, don’t Tell! Anyone who fancies themselves a writer will have been told this at some point. It’s writing 101. Most of you will be nodding along to this thinking, “Listen up, Noobs, man’s about to throw down some classic advice.”
Shane DobbiePublished about a year ago in JournalMy First Time Using AI Software
Oh yes. It's one of the most controversial topics in the world of writing. And I tried it. Yes, I know it's not something a creative writer should be using. But before you click out of this article, hear me out. And no, I had no help with this article. It's all me.
Amethyst ChampagnePublished about a year ago in Journal