Life
Writers & their ego
Writers have this familiar way of using people. Often it’s premeditated rarely it’s unintentional. We go about casual conversation with an undertone of interrogation because we don’t trust anything with a pulse. We ask the questions, & we want answers in poetry, filled with metaphors & oxymorons, but when you deal with mediocre chitchat, what do we really expect to get?
By tatiana vitas2 months ago in Writers
Musings, Jokes, and Dreams to Wake Me Up 2
I have a certain routine that I like to keep, but that hinges on me waking up within a certain timeframe. I like to be up and getting ready between 7:30 A.M. and 8:30 A.M. Sometimes, I don’t wake up within that timeframe and it winds up being afterwards, but it isn’t as if I can’t still do many of the things that I want to do throughout the day. But everything gets pushed back, or I often wind up with less time for certain things, etc. I don’t NEED to be up this early and I CAN wake up an hour later, but when I do it too often, my other projects get less time.
By Stephen Kramer Avitabile2 months ago in Writers
Talking Hearts
Author's Note: The photo is what the title, "Talking hearts couples" brought up on unsplash. First thing is we do not look like the couple above! I would have to pay the hubby to wear a bowtie, and I can't imagine he has ever worn one except for as a baby, and then he wouldn't leave it on for long.
By Denise E Lindquist2 months ago in Writers
Sorry Guys. Just realized I won a winning spot with a story about not winning.
Isn't it just like life and its love of irony that when I reach frustration point and take off for a few days...that my story suddenly decides to have the last laugh and be placed in the winner's circle. Such a very rare occurrence.
By Novel Allen2 months ago in Writers
You're No Good (Terry Pratchett Syndrome)
Introduction I recently wrote this story and got a lot of supportive comments. The Reality Is ... Vocal are telling me my writing is not good enough, I don't cut the mustard. A number of Vocal creators have said to me that Vocal only choose stories by good writers for Top Stories and Challenges, implying that my work for them dis below par and not worth reading.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 2 months ago in Writers
More Observations On Why We Publish On Vocal
Introduction I am not a very supportive Vocal Creator, if I were I would appear on the Vocal Leaderboard, I seldom get a Top Story, and maybe the odd honourable mention. Top Stories do generate reads but most of mine come outside of Vocal, probably because I don't comment enough on others' stories.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 2 months ago in Writers
Paul's Explicate My Poem Unofficial Challenge -The Results!
Well now. Writers. Friends. I had no idea what kind of response I would get when I ran this challenge. I am always grateful for the support I get on this platform with the various unofficial challenges I've run over the last few years. But this felt a little different. Like I may have asked too much or it may have been a little self-centred.
By Paul Stewart2 months ago in Writers
Who's ready?. Top Story - August 2026.
Who's ready for going back to school? Are the teachers and students really ready? Are they, or aren't they? They wait and wait for holidays and summer breaks to get away somehow. Do they really like to teach? I think they do but with everything that this profession includes, I believe, that they endure and they continue to plan what to do each year that they are a part of the noblest profession.
By Mark Graham2 months ago in Writers
130 Stories and 5 Years Later
A bit over five years ago, deep into the pandemic - when we were so used to panic that it was just an underlying emotion we could ignore, and still surprising ourselves at how we could be surprised at the depth of people’s stupidity - an Instagram ad popped up on my feed for a website that paid per read. I had already been debating writing on Medium or Substack, but I found their systems and memberships convoluted. The Instagram ad for Vocal showed ease of use. I signed up. It was going to give me $0.003 per read, which was more than I was getting for posting on my own website Colochos de Flores anyways. Since signing up, I have grown my writing skills, community, pieces, into an allegedly positive digital footprint.
By Ariana GonBon2 months ago in Writers
