Challenge
Clone Agent: The Story that convinced me to write.
The first story I remember writing was from back when I was 9 or 10. It was a very well thought out and invested piece, with carefully crafted characters and settings... that I'd "borrowed" from other pieces of ficiton.
By Malcolm Roach10 months ago in Writers
To Build a Liar
Authors pre-preface: I had very recently published the below republication of one of my first "serious" writing attempts from the 7th grade in Vocal's fiction community. When I saw the Writer's challenge to write about the first piece you had ever written I immediately thought to myself 'wait a minute I just did that.' So I am re-republishing it here for that challenge. The whole thing is very meta and confusing if you think about it too deeply so just don't. In the author's preface to that story (below) I talked a little bit about how the story developed and my critique of its quality. Generally speaking I still like the concept, it is kind of cute and humorous in a written by an awkward 7th grader trying way too hard sort of way. In case you were wondering in the intervening years my regard for Jack London's works has not changed much. I find them underwhelming and way too macho, like the guy is trying to prove exactly how much of a man he is, when really what is driving him are insecurities about his own manhood. I can say that I definitely had a shit ton of insecurities when I wrote the piece. I don't think there is a 7th grade boy alive who could not sympathize, it is a time when questions about becoming a man, being a man, and what that actually means are bubbling and bursting to the surface. Much like the pimples that were bubbling and bursting on the surface of my acne plagued face at the time. I will leave it with that enganging and distrubing visual. Enjoy. lol!
By Everyday Junglist10 months ago in Writers
My Potential
Fourteen years. It has been fourteen years since I wrote my first true short story, “Model Wedding”. As cliché as it is, I have written stories and poems for as long as I can remember, and so there are poems and chapters of stories that exist before “Model Wedding”. However, this story is the first time that I can remember writing a complete piece of fiction, where my true passion in writing lies. It was written for the Stanford Gifted Youth Program—an ungraded summer program for high school students gifted in different academic areas—and, at the time, it was my proudest accomplishment. Even the instructor, a published short story writer, praised it, particularly the revision.
By Stephanie Hoogstad10 months ago in Writers
The Importance of Using Writing Prompts
What is a Writing Prompt? A writing prompt is a short statement or question that gives a writer a starting point for their work. It can be used to spark creativity, generate ideas, or help writers overcome writer's block.
By Timothy A Rowland10 months ago in Writers
why so many countries are abandoning the dollar
Glancing at recent headlines can stir up anxiety in the minds of Americans. Phrases like "The dollar is done" and "End of dollar dominance will also spell demise of US Hegemony" create fear-inducing scenarios. However, before hastily converting dollars to trivial items, it's essential to consider a more nuanced perspective.
By shannan leon10 months ago in Writers
The Story Behind One of the First Stories I Wrote on Vocal
While it is not technically the first story I ever wrote, one of the first several stories I published on Vocal was a story titled “WOOOOOOO!!!” It is the story of a fisherman who goes out one night to fish at his favorite spot on the lake. However, he doesn’t catch any fish, but instead encounters something terrifying and unknown that ultimately makes him scared of the lake.
By Austin Blessing-Nelson (Blessing)10 months ago in Writers
You do not need to know how to write to write your first story. Top Story - August 2023.
I was about six years old. I could read well at that time but I could not write. My grandfather had a mechanical typewriter and I was allowed to use it. It was like a quest each time to find a needed letter on the keyboard! And one day I read a pictured book about large cats: lion, tiger, lynx, and others.
By Olga Moyseyenko10 months ago in Writers