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Top Stories
Find new, handpicked stories you’ll love, updated daily.
The Angry Man in Your House
"If you grow up with an angry man in your house, there will always be an angry man in your house" This statement has caused plenty of controversy online, people say its a statement that blames victims while also undermining those who break traumatic cycles to form health relationships... but if I'm honest now that I'm in my 30s it makes more sense to me than ever, and I'd argue that its not just about fathers and uncles.
By S. A. Crawfordabout 9 hours ago in Humans
Rachel Reviews: Lunch Tales: Teagan by Lucille Guarino
Well, I did enjoy this! Sometimes, all you need is just great storytelling and this is what Lucille Guarino delivers here. There's no big message to this book; it's just about folks and families, living their lives and coping with everything that's being thrown at them and finding their way. But when it's done well, like it is here, then you have characters to whom you can relate, tension which leaves you rooting for a better outcome, attraction which has your heart racing and an urge, as a reader, to see the characters happy with the people with whom they belong.
By Rachel Deemingabout 14 hours ago in BookClub
The Lesions of Devotion
Every day I set myself down on the freshly cut lawn and strip myself bare. I take my guitar and finger the frets and pick at the strings, listening for dissonance. My life is dissonance. I twist the tuning pegs until each string sounds bright. Then I kneel, calves pointing behind me, kneecaps facing forward. All exposed to the breeze. I close my eyes and play the melody.
By Paul Stewarta day ago in Fiction
Challenges
Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test.
Instructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize4 days leftRituals of Affection
Write a story about a recurring ritual tied to love, romance, or connection. Something about it is unusual, unsettling, or unexplained.
$200 Grand Prize6 days leftThe Unnecessary Line
Write a poem that includes one line that does not strictly belong and let the tension it creates remain unresolved.
$200 Grand Prize13 days left
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Resources
Discover tips, guides, updates, and spotlights from our team.
Public Announcement Challenge Winners
For the Public Announcement Challenge, writers were asked to work inside voices built for control. These were notices, warnings, and updates meant to inform rather than confess. The strongest entries committed to that form and didn't break from it. Corporate memos, formal government alerts, and internal policy language were held consistently, allowing emotion, fear, grief, or humor to surface indirectly through pressure rather than declaration. The following poems recognize the voice of authority, and let human feeling slip through despite all its rules and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Teama day ago in Resources
📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 02/05/2026
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted most alternating Thursdays at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal2 days ago in Resources
Instructions Included Challenge Winners
For the Instructions Included challenge, we asked writers to tell a story through instructions and to trust the form to carry what could not be said outright. Across the top entries, that trust paid off in many different ways.
By Vocal Curation Team10 days ago in Resources
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