Top Stories
Stories in Journal that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Is it still a man’s world out there?
I am a mechanic by trade, a 23-year-old woman and I am the only female in my particular workshop. My best friend is also a mechanic, she is the only female in her workshop. So, what is it like to be in a male dominated field in 2021?
How Very Un Bookclub-like Of You!
I am a lover of books but less so of book clubs. Maybe the groups I have seen previously came across as somewhat elitist (although the best honoring-diversity-inclusive-face greets potentials.) Or highly regimented (could I be silently ridiculed/shunned/kicked out of the club if I neglected to read the selected book one too many times?) Or just really straight edge and constricted. And books are not meant to be that!
The Dani WriterPublished 2 years ago in JournalHow I feel after writing 50 stories on Vocal
This is my 50th story published on Vocal. And with the publication of half a hundred stories, poems, and articles on this site, I have learned a few things about both Vocal.Media and writing in general.
Leah HarrisPublished 2 years ago in JournalI'm a Fiction Writer; I Hate It
Okay, okay, I don’t hate it. I love being an author. I love creating my own world and becoming the god of it every time my pen hits the paper. I love breathing life into my characters, nuancing their every motive, exploiting their built-in weaknesses, defining their strengths. I love giving people an escape into another reality, providing readers with redemption from the mundane and the ability to feel magic again. I love getting lost in my own imagination, following my wildest muses to wherever they might lead. It’s addicting, it’s life-giving. It’s giving into insanity just a little bit to see what your mind can really come up with if you’re the one making the rules. I love fiction. I love creating it. Here’s what I hate about it:
Benja MattesonPublished 2 years ago in JournalI Just Want To Write, God Dang It.
Many people have to get up at 4:00 AM to do what their heart desires. They cram what they love into the first hour of their day and then drudge through the rest with the things they have to do to get to do the one thing that they actually want to be doing.
Melissa SteussyPublished 2 years ago in JournalThe Art of Freelancing While Working Full-Time
Freelancers have been around for decades. They often worked with agencies to help with increased workloads as they continued to add clients to their business portfolio. But the side gig economy only recently took off among the masses.
wanderlusterPublished 2 years ago in Journal10,000,000 Reads Later, Here Are My Thoughts on Everything VOCAL
I just crossed 10 Million Reads!!! Oh my god, I knew it was coming but actually seeing the number today, I actually burst into tears because my gosh. When I decided to really return to Vocal and take it seriously, it was such a gamble, I didn't know what to expect. In fact, my greatest hope was to get at least 1,000 consistent readers who liked what I wrote. Now, here we are at 10,000,000. I honestly still cannot believe it.
Jide OkonjoPublished 2 years ago in JournalWhen Following Your Intuition Sucks
Two minutes before writing this, I was kneeling on the bathroom floor of our favorite neighborhood coffee shop, breathing deeply through my nose and into my belly, trying hard not to lose my shi*t.
Patti Cobian (she/her)Published 2 years ago in JournalWhen Amex Took on Walmart to Save Small U.S. Businesses
If you ever dream of becoming a legendary entrepreneur, this brand story is for you. It’s a story of a brand that has leveraged perhaps the most undervalued attributes of mankind and made a billion dollars out of it.
Kavi KamatPublished 2 years ago in JournalVocal Creators Chronicle Vol. 4
Hello all, and welcome back to the 4th edition of the Vocal Creators Chronicle or, as we so adamantly call it now, VCC (we writers love our acronyms).
The Vocal Creators ChroniclePublished 2 years ago in JournalFive Writing Lessons From Salman Rushdie
I was first introduced to Salman Rushdie in a college literature class where we read Midnight’s Children. His novels usually combine historical fiction and magical realism to explore heavy personal, political, and cultural themes. While Rushdie’s writing is not an easy read, he’s become one of my favorite writers. After reading his memoir, Joseph Anton, I gained deeper insight into his novels and his writing process. Here are a few tips on writing I learned from him.
Alexis M. CollazoPublished 2 years ago in Journal20 Side Hustles That Are Actually Worth Your Time
What's a Side Hustle? A side hustle can be either a second or part-time employment that happens on the side of a regular, full-time job. Or it could be just something you do to make ends meet on top of what you're already doing (work, raising kids, college..), not necessarly a job.
Sally From The Shine ProjectPublished 3 years ago in Journal