Inspiration
The Poem That Made Me a Poet
It started as an assignment. I was in my second year at Western Washington University, and was lucky enough to snag the last seat in Jane Wong’s class on food writing. The course focused on our connection to food. How it inspires us, challenges us, fills us with nutrients and love.
By Katherine J. Zumpano3 years ago in Writers
Casino Addictions, Memories
In the dimly lit corners of memory's labyrinth, there exists a relic of my literary infancy. A story, earnestly penned during my youth, beckons like a whisper from the past. It tells of a rainy day in a nameless town, of souls ensnared in the allure of a casino's neon-lit illusions, and of lives entangled in the threads of fate, or perhaps misfortune. As I revisit this embryonic creation, it awakens emotions I had long buried beneath the layers of time.
By ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR3 years ago in Writers
From Innocence to Insight: Navigating the Nuances
In the soft glow of youth, during the tumultuous transition to a freshman in high school, I ventured into the realm of self-expression through my first ever written piece. It wasn't an assignment or a task, but a self-inflicted venture into vulnerability—a love poem. Raw and unfettered, it was inspired by a boy who unknowingly occupied a significant space in my adolescent heart. Every line, dripping with youthful exuberance, was a testament to the sheer intensity of a first crush.
By M Dannenfelser3 years ago in Writers
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
San Pedro Sula, located in northwestern Honduras, has received notoriety as one of the most challenging cities in the world to live in. While it is essential to well known the difficulties that residents face, it is equally vital to consider the nuances and complexities that make contributions to the city's struggles.
By Moharif Yulianto3 years ago in Writers
Down to the Nub. Top Story - September 2023.
Memories of my childhood are vivid but disjointed, like a movie trailer that flashes various exciting bits, but not in context and out of order. Thus I can't be sure which of the stories I wrote as a child was the first.
By Sonia Heidi Unruh3 years ago in Writers
My "First" Piece: Beware the Butterfly
I wish I could remember further back than the 4th grade. I'm sure I was writing even before that. The first thing I remember writing was in either 5th or 6th grade, and my memory of it is pretty vague. I was the kind of kid who knew what the teachers wanted from me, and a huge teacher's pet. Straight A's, getting my homework held up as an example, all that good stuff. When there was a writing assignment, I usually nailed it as expected. But then one day I got weird with it.
By Rebekah Conard3 years ago in Writers
My First Foray into Publishing Short Stories Online
First let me admit that I have a terrible memory. Because of my anxiety, my mind loves to focus on awkward and painful memories. The failures instead of the triumphs. How far back should I go? My elementary school scribbles were just glorified spelling and penmanship exercises. I mostly remember the short stories and essays I wrote for my advanced placement English class in the eleventh grade.
By Leslie Writes3 years ago in Writers
Bali The Enchanting Island of Indonesia
Nestled in the coronary heart of the Indonesian archipelago, Bali is a jewel in Southeast Asia, renowned for its herbal beauty, shiny culture, and serene spirituality. With its lush landscapes, pristine beaches, and rich traditions, Bali has captured the creativeness of travelers from round the world, making it one of the most sought-after locations for those in search of an idyllic escape.
By Moharif Yulianto3 years ago in Writers
It’s Turtles All The Way Down
Turtles are my spirit animal, and the first story/essay I ever wrote was about turtles. I was in first grade. It may have been an assignment, because my teacher gave me a “check-plus” and a “smiley face.” This story clearly meant a lot to me, since I have saved it all these years.
By Joyce O’Day3 years ago in Writers
Examining My First Story
The recent fairytale challenge on Vocal had me digging deep into my computer’s memory to find a story that I wrote almost twenty years ago. It was a short story about a young girl who finds a coin in her washing machine on a very hot summer day. She makes a wish on it and it comes true; the temperature drops by twenty degrees! With a second load of laundry, she finds another coin in the machine and makes a wish on that one as well. That second wish is for an awesome thirteenth birthday.
By Rae Fairchild (MRB)3 years ago in Writers
Lily and Fred
Once upon a time, in a world where love was as unpredictable as the weather and as mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle, there lived a character named Fred. Fred was your typical hopeless romantic, the kind who believed that love could be found around every corner, even if that corner happened to be a dead-end alley.
By Nneka Onuoha3 years ago in Writers
