📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 9/28/2023
Champion your favorite creators.
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted every other Thursday at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
How to join the 📢 Raise Your Voice Thread:
- Introduce yourself in the comment section of this story and tell us what you create on Vocal.
- Shoutout a Vocal creator you recommend reading. Include the URL of a writer or story that inspired you and why.
- If you like a story another person has recommended, send that story's creator a like, leave a comment, and/or subscribe to them.
Please follow Vocal’s Community Guidelines and don’t spam your own profile or stories in the thread. We encourage the community to report users or comments that break these guidelines.
Also, make sure you join our Vocal Community Chat every other Tuesday at 12PM ET to discuss insights and platform updates.
We'll start the thread:
JD Pernoste and Anneliese Dahl craft brilliant stories and poems together. "Changed by a Poem" captures the essence of a cathartic moment we are lucky to feel often at Vocal. We'll let the poem speak for itself.
Now it's your turn. Share your favorite stories in the comments below.
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Raise Your Voice by Vocal
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📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 9/14/2023
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted every other Thursday at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal8 months ago in Resources
She loves me
She loved me. When I was small and my wee stayed to the paper. When I was rumpled skin and floppy big paws and big eyes looking up and waiting for her hands to find me, scooping me up and bringing me into her. And we were happy, so happy, so very, very happy. I was so happy to see her and danced my circles so she'd know how much I wanted nothing more than for her to hold me. I'd wrap, wiggle, wiggle and wrap my growing body with my bestest happy dance, slumping and kerplumping into her warm parts just like she liked me to. She was there and I was there, and we were there together, and it was perfect. Oh, how she loved me! We spent all our time together, playing inside, outside, up, down, going round and round. And she petted me and called me good girl when I made poops, and sometimes when I weed in her front yard or the neighbor's, and I was the best girl. For her, I really was! And she scratched me behind my ears, and it was heaven. I aowooo my joy! And she aowoooed hers too.
By Christy Munson6 days ago in Fiction
Comments (30)
This article really helpful for me.
Hello! I'm Meagan Dion, I write poems, short stories- pretty much whatever challenge vocal throws my way. I have to be honest, it's probably been like a year at this point since I've read it, but this one story still lives rent free in my head. It's Ally North's runaway train challenge entry. https://vocal.media/fiction/things-that-fall-between. Check her out! https://vocal.media/authors/ally-north
Please support me by reading my stories and blogs! https://vocal.media/authors/ojas-gamer-boy
A lovely way to have us engage and talk about pieces we've read from other writers that have stuck with us. I'm Brin, a poet and storyteller, but I also give reviews, share exciting news, and try to give helpful tips. There are two Vocal creators I'd like to shout out, both who'd written poems that stuck with me. One minute romance by Branton F. https://vocal.media/poets/one-minute-romance and Darling, I will never forget by Paul Stewart https://vocal.media/poets/darling-i-will-never-forget Branton's One minute romance hit a spot within me that I resonated with- not love at first sight but rather a one minute romance played out in my head before continuing with life. Paul Stewart's poem was from his heart. You can see it reflected in the way he strings his words together, as if weaving a tapestry- a masterpiece. They were evocative and inspired me to write the poem: Today, I Learned I'm Selfish. Chivalry isn't dead. Just give these gentlemen's pieces a read, you won't regret it.
I'm rather late this week, but I hope there's still time for me to call your attention to Rene Volpi's excellent alternate ending to George Orwell's 1984, which you can read at the link below. I'd recommend Rene's reimagining to anyone who, like me, has always felt that for all the undoubted greatness and significance of Orwell's masterpiece, the climax is not its strongest point - specifically, that long-awaited payoff to "I understand HOW, I do not understand WHY." Let's face it, after all the build-up, the last thing we want to read is: "Procreation will be an annual formality like the renewing of a ration card!" So, those of you who are never anything but convulsed by O'Brien revealing his dastardly plan, take a look - I suspect you'll prefer Rene's version! https://vocal.media/bookclub/george-orwell-s-1984#comment-3b09800e-2ce3-44b9-8ba2-d2f746aa9ef3
I always pop this in my calendar and miss out completely on the live commenting going on...hopefully, I'm not too late...? Well, this is my first time participating in the Raise Your Voice thread so ..Hi! I'm E.A. Wilcox and I write poetry and fiction mostly. My most favourite genre is horror and folklore within the fiction realm. Poetry wise I have mostly done performance and slam poetry and have stuck with that a bit. I really want to improve my skills and craft, so I do try to stretch out on what I am capable of, uncomfortable with, and so on. Flash fiction and microfiction terrify me (haha word restrictions...eeek!) so I have been doing a bit of a series with those! I know this was a TS already, but it actually made me homesick (I miss state fairs so much!) https://vocal.media/poets/state-fair
I know they already have a couple of mentions, but I’m mad about Pernoste and Anneliese’s “Castle Treasure” poem about the emotional feelings of returning home, yet things are not the same, but your memories are held tight. ☺️ https://vocal.media/poets/castle-treasure
Novel Allen's "The Book Tree" is delightful! https://vocal.media/poets/the-book-tree 💙
Lamar Wiggins' new fantasy is amazing. https://vocal.media/fiction/the-apprentice-z1ox0efs 💙
Lacy Loar-Gruenler penned a beautiful love poem. https://vocal.media/poets/a-poem-to-my-fourth-husband 💙
How exciting to get a shout out!!! Thank you so much! 💙Anneliese
This was so damn funny: https://vocal.media/poets/lesson-learned-wo22100zn
Ralph Emerson penned a highly intriguing article chronicling his three-year journey with Vocal Media. Within it, he provides invaluable comments and suggestions. https://vocal.media/writers/in-the-pursuit-of-success In my own writings, I've shared observations from my shorter tenure on Vocal, offering some suggestions as well. https://vocal.media/journal/vocal-some-observations-and-suggestions However, Ralph's extensive experience carries substantial weight and depth of insight.
Hi, I’m Real Poetic. The challenge winners for the next great American novel were supposed to be announced yesterday. Do you all plan on doing this still?
Vocal Raise Your Voice Creators: Thank you! This is an excellent reminder of how we as creators can spotlight each other. Additionally, I commend your feature of Pernoste and Dahl. I admire them. Here is a link to their story "Dance with Giants." Pernoste and Dahl: Congratulations on the well-deserved shout-out! 🗣️👏🗣️
There were so many wonderful stories from a readers challenge that came out, this one from Judey Kalchik was awesome, byoght forth everyday struggles and exhaustion of life. https://vocal.media/fiction/staring-out-of-the-bus-windows-at-night
Hey all! I'm here to shout out Kelsey Syble's incredible poem "This Haunting." I'm slowly working my way through her catalogue of stories and poetry and I'm highly impressed. She has championed my work as well. I'm loving this opportunity to find new authors to support, and hope you all will take a moment to read my fiction! I also occasionally write poetry, especially if it's for a challenge I find interesting, but I take the greatest pride in my short stories. I've been a lifelong writer and Vocal has encouraged me to keep sharing, since it's such a supportive community. Hope everyone's having a great Thursday! Carly
Yo yo, Paul the accidental poet, word maligner, phrase abuser, fiction, horror, satire and all sorts writer. Here are a couple of things I've really enjoyed recently. Matthew Fromm getting a lot of recommendations and here's another - just a spectacular new haiku from the man - https://vocal.media/poets/transmuting-the-din Sonia Heidi Unruh is a phenomenal writer and her most recent piece is further evidence of this - check it out - https://vocal.media/poets/passive Brin J. is another stunning writer who, in my opinion, never publishes anything lower than pure brillance. This poem is just so stirring - https://vocal.media/poets/spoils-of-war-q14r07m2 I am quite a new follower of Tressa Rose...but this poem she posted yesterday is beautiful - https://vocal.media/poets/take-in-the-sun There you go. Some stuff to check out.
Even though it’s an older story of his (about 25 days), I’d also like to recommend “The Mortal Masquerade” by Ian Read. With Halloween about a month away, it’s a nice quick read to give you the chills, and it’s a great homage to the original “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe: https://vocal.media/fiction/the-mortal-masquerade-a-microfiction.
Collaboration is alive and well. Besides the first two chapters of a new story (Matthew shared below in the first post today) Cendrine is working on a series for writers. Here’s the post with the info https://vocal.media/writers/writing-and-self-empowerment-a-collaborative-new-series-of-essays-with-vocal-creator-mackenzie-davis
I’ve been loving read articles about writing, the craft, the process. This one from Mesh is truly amazing, quite different than what you might expect from such a piece. https://vocal.media/writers/acquiescing-to-colour-an-anthem Plus, Mesh is incredibly talented, a true poet and creative. Read his most recent poem “Reasons for waking up” to see what i mean. https://vocal.media/poets/reasons-for-waking-up
I’m Stephanie Hoogstad. I write a bit of everything—fiction, poetry, nonfiction articles (mostly about writing). I wanted to share this piece by Teresa Renton. After her Top Story on how to craft flash fiction, it feels like the perfect story to read because it is a magnificent flash fiction story with a lot of heart to it (that also happened to get published in a magazine before making its way to Vocal): https://vocal.media/fiction/the-thing-is-yy8u01vr#comment-851c48c5-85c7-496b-bb7e-10a21a05cd44.
Teresa Renton has been consistently impressing me with her clever and immaculate writing. Though I first got into her stuff thru poetry, of late, her flash fiction has been utterly mesmerizing. Here is one I recommend highly: https://vocal.media/fiction/deckchairs-for-sale Please go consume the rest of her profile! She is stunningly talented.
Please read my post please https://vocal.media/history/history-of-prophet-muhammad-shw-l If you’re a musli read this god bless you 🙏
I’m sharing a funny story by Dharrsheena Raja Segarran because I absolutely love her sense of humor! It’s like mine! If you haven’t read it yet, read it now! https://vocal.media/fiction/the-horrifying-moniker