Achievements
A Software Craftsman's Journey to Becoming a Storyteller
When we speak of firsts, a sense of nostalgia brushes against our hearts. It's the delicate and fragile memory of an original creation, the kernel from which the tree of experience grows. For me, that nascent memory takes me back to a Medium article. This treatise tackled the rather cerebral topic of "Understanding Inheritance with C#." If this sounds like a no-nonsense technical document aimed squarely at programmers, you're not wrong. It was precise, unembellished, and intensely pragmatic—much like a well-written code.
By Abnoan Muniz3 years ago in Writers
The G.O.A.T. of Football
In the quiet village of Soccerdale, nestled between rolling hills and lush meadows, lived a most unusual hero – Leo, the Goat of Football. While the world celebrated human football players as the "Greatest of All Time," in Soccerdale, the term took on a whole new meaning. Leo was no ordinary goat. Born with an uncanny ability to control a football with his hooves, he captured the hearts of the village at a young age. Children and adults alike would gather on the village green to watch Leo weave his magic. His dribbling skills were mesmerizing, his passes pinpoint accurate, and his shots on goal were simply awe-inspiring. Word of Leo's extraordinary talents spread beyond Soccerdale, eventually reaching the ears of the famous football coach, Coach Rodriguez. Intrigued by the stories, Coach Rodriguez decided to pay a visit to the village. Upon witnessing Leo's incredible skills, the coach saw potential that extended far beyond mere amusement. He proposed an audacious idea to the villagers – to have Leo play alongside human players in the upcoming regional football championship. The villagers were skeptical at first, but Coach Rodriguez's determination and conviction won them over. Leo, equipped with a specially designed jersey and hoof-friendly football, embarked on a journey that would forever change his life and the village of Soccerdale. As the championship approached, Leo trained tirelessly alongside his human teammates. They learned to communicate through a series of whistles and gestures, and Leo's unique perspective on the game added a new dimension to their strategy. The sight of Leo weaving through cones during practice sessions, the football dancing at his hooves, was a sight to behold. The day of the championship arrived, and the Soccerdale team took the field. Spectators from across the region were curious to witness the village with the "football-playing goat." The opposing teams were amused, believing that Leo's inclusion was a mere gimmick. However, as the game began, Leo proved that he was no gimmick. His agility, control, and innate understanding of the game left the opposition befuddled. He passed, he dribbled, and he even scored a goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The once-skeptical villagers cheered louder than ever before, their belief in Leo's abilities solidified. Match after match, Leo's prowess continued to shine. The Soccerdale team, led by their goat captain, advanced to the finals. Yet, they faced their most challenging opponent yet – the seasoned professionals of the neighboring town, Riverside. The finals were a rollercoaster of emotions. Riverside skilled players put up a fierce fight, testing Leo and his teammates to their limits. The game was tied as the clock ticked down to its final minutes. Then, in a moment of pure brilliance, Leo executed an audacious move – a bicycle kick from the edge of the penalty area. The ball sailed through the air, defying all odds, and nestled into the top corner of the net. The stadium erupted in a symphony of cheers as Soccerdale emerged victorious. The village that had once been known for its picturesque landscape was now synonymous with Leo, the G.O.A.T. of Football. Leo's incredible journey had not only redefined what it meant to be a football player but also demonstrated the power of determination, teamwork, and the unexpected. Leo's legacy lived on, inspiring generations to come. Soccerdale became a haven for aspiring football players, and the story of the goat who defied conventions became a tale shared across the world. And as for Leo, he continued to play the sport he loved, not as a mere curiosity, but as a symbol of the limitless possibilities that lie within every individual, regardless of their shape or species.
By Samuel Zigwai Timothy 3 years ago in Writers
From Cover to Cover: Diary of Knives
Looking for Cover: The Dive into Writing My first complete short story (that I can remember) was called, “Diary of Knives.” It was not my first attempt at writing on my own, as opposed to school assignments and the like. Most of the stuff before that was in fits and starts. There was some dreadful poetry, lots of notes about various novels I’d like to write, a handful of abandoned short fictions, and whole fantasy epics I wanted to plan out and craft.
By Matthew Daniels3 years ago in Writers
The power of positivity
It is impossible to overstate the value of positivity in a world that frequently seems to be ruled by negativity. It is a force with the capacity to change people's lives, boost their spirits, and spread joy. Positivity is a way of life and a philosophy that can result in significant change rather than just making you smile all the time.
By yasmine saeed3 years ago in Writers
A Funny Idea I had Recently
So I have read a fair few hundred books in my time, thousands, millions, every book written so I think I am the most valuable source of information on good and terrible books. No, I’m just kidding. But I do love to sit and read a book with a cup of coffee every now and then. So I have read loads of books and I have furtherly enjoyed some more than others. But that is how it goes for the general reader, you have your favourite genres, writers and tropes. For me…personally… It's a dystopian future book that has my heart, or a fantasy world where you need to go on a dangerous adventure to save the world, anything with magic that makes me so absorbed in the book I feel like the main character and if I’m feeling frisky you can’t go wrong with a spicy enemies to lovers romance trope.
By Terri Allen3 years ago in Writers
Want to Feel Special. Read This
Author's preface: A comment on a recent story published here (thanks Kendall DeFoe) triggered something in me which caused me to recall a story I had written many years ago, way back in 2016. That article was published on a different web publishing platform, which I will not name, but rhymes with tedium, from which I have since been twice suspended and (apparently) permanently banned. It was written as part of my 1000 page view up all night write-athon which was some stupid thing I thought to try and do after I finally hit 1000 page views. I had started publishing there in early 2015 so it took me a solid year to hit the 1000 mark with close to 200 stories published in that first year. I was quite prolific back in those days and, exactly like today, I was not very popular, as those dismal stats clearly indicate. That said I was very proud of the achievement, and decided I would try a stunt where I stayed up all night (5pm until 8am the next day) and try and write and publish as many articles as I could in that time span. I conceived of the idea the day I hit 1000, and initiated the challenge the following evening so I did not have time to think much about how difficult a thing that actually could be. Also, exactly like today, I did not tend to think very much in advance about stuff, and figured it would just work itself out in the end. This other unnamed platform did not have a ludicrous and absurd minimum word count requirement like Vocal, nor did it have a roving censor brigade, and one could get away with just about anything in those early days on the site. As per my typical MO, I tended to take a very laissez-faire attitude with respect to the "rules" which obviously ended up hurting me fairly badly many years later when I got my first suspension, and then again a year after that when I was suspended a second time. This was about two years ago and that suspension has yet to be rescinded, despite several petitions, so amounts to a permanent ban. In any event I can't actually recall how many stories I banged out, but think I got close to fifteen. Below is just one of them which surprisingly holds up even today both in terms of its truth value (I am still an almost never read writer) and its overall quality (fair to middlin at best). Crazy how the computer references seem so dated and ancient. It really was not that long ago. lol! Enjoy!
By Everyday Junglist3 years ago in Writers
Unlocking the Mind of AI: 10 Surprising Facts You Need to Know.
## Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an ever-growing field with vast possibilities. It has become an essential part of our daily lives, from Siri and Alexa to self-driving cars and unmanned drones. Here are ten fascinating facts about AI that might surprise you.
By Mohamed Eldakrory 3 years 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 Hoogstad3 years 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 Rowland3 years ago in Writers
