Process

“You Look So Put together” Is Giving Me Too Much Credit
Today someone told me, “You look so put together. Like you’re so perfect in everything.” And I was like, oh no. I’m not. I have my flaws. I’m nosy as hell. I overthink things that probably don’t need that much thought. I get irritated over stupid stuff. Sometimes I take things personally and then realize later it had nothing to do with me. I can be stubborn. I can be impatient. I’ve made bad decisions knowing they were bad decisions.
By Annam M Gordon10 days ago in Writers
Unnamed Poem
I remember the eyes first— weather-colored, shifting like the sky deciding whether to break open or clear. Eyes that didn’t look at me, but through me, past me, into the places I kept barricaded.
By Syl De'Vil10 days ago in Writers
The Paper Bag Chronicles: How My Driveway Became a Museum Exhibit for Britain's Declining Competence. Top Story - September 2026.
Take a moment to gaze at my chosen image from 'Unsplash,' and what does it tell you? No, it isn't that the toilet rolls are a grim portent of another incoming COVID outbreak, and it's not that he's about to break out into an enthusiastic attempt at juggling either; that carton of eggs at the very top wouldn't stand a chance of making it home. No.
By Jonathan Townend12 days ago in Writers
I Care About You
A month and a half after I met you, you sent me these words: “I care about you.” I looked at the four words on my phone screen.
By Alix12 days ago in Writers
Le Guin Apprenticeship Journal VI
The dedicated readers among you will, of course, notice... I'm late! A thousand apologies. I've had a strangely prolific couple of weeks, which, as excuses go, could be worse.
By Lauren Everdell12 days ago in Writers
Why I Write Speculative Fiction
Fantasy, science fiction, and horror—those are my three favorite genres of fiction to write. Sure, sometimes I drift into contemporary fiction (and romance if I’m ghostwriting, but I tend not to do that anymore), but generally, I stick to these genres. The question is: why? Why would I spend my time on three genres that are considered low brow in the literary world? Is it because they are popular among readers (hence “popular fiction”)? Is it because, like so many other writers before me, I want to escape the world that I find myself in?
By Stephanie Hoogstad13 days ago in Writers
Writing Reflections: Walt and the Visitor
Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, I want to focus my Writing Reflection on another more recent short story of mine called “Walt and the Visitor”. I know that this goes against the rule of letting the story sit for a while before revisiting it, but I have set it aside for about two months without thinking about it too much, so I think that counts as letting it sit for a bit before revisiting it. Also, something about this particular story has been bugging me today, and I would like to try and figure out what might be behind it: it has absolutely no likes, no comments, and, it seems, no reads.
By Stephanie Hoogstad13 days ago in Writers
The Only 3 Writing Skills You Actually Need (And Why the Rest Is Noise)
What Are the Basic Skills You Actually Need to Write a Novel? People love making lists about writing. You need strong characterization.
By Jin16 days ago in Writers
The Worry.. Content Warning.
I didn’t mean to write thirty‑seven stories. It just… happened. One minute I was sitting there on September eighth thinking, “Hey, I’ll enter this challenge,” and the next thing I knew, I was knee‑deep in plot ideas, caffeine, and whatever leftover brain cells my kids hadn’t stolen from me. I blinked, and suddenly I had a whole damn library of stories published.
By Syl De'Vil16 days ago in Writers
Licking Love From a Blade
I can still feel the night everything shifted—the night I got the phone call that my ex Nick had died. It hits me in the chest every damn time, like someone reaching in and squeezing something I didn’t know was still alive. I was at a bar in Kenosha, Wisconsin with a Turkish friend, pretending I was fine, pretending I wasn’t about to make some really bad choices. I was a version of myself teetering on the edge of something stupid, and instead I fell straight into a pit of self‑pity and regret. The atmosphere of that time was desolation. Nothing else fits.
By Syl De'Vil17 days ago in Writers
Syl De’Vil — The Feral Mind Behind the Music‑Driven Madness.
When a break is needed or your mind takes over you talk to yourself. Interview with Syl D. Interviewer: Thanks for sitting down with us, Syla. You’ve been dropping stories on Vocal like artillery shells. Your latest piece came with a full playlist. What possessed you to soundtrack your own writing?
By Syl De'Vil17 days ago in Writers
Why Your Paralysis Is Lying to You
Let me paint you a picture. You're standing at the edge of something - a new career, a difficult conversation, a gym membership you've had since January that's been collecting more dust than results. And instead of moving, you freeze. You overthink. You scroll. You convince yourself that the "right moment" is just around the corner.
By Narghiza Ergashova17 days ago in Writers