Top 10 Most Read Poetry - Ballad
a poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. Usually follows a form of rhymed (abcb) quatrains alternating four-stress and three-stress lines.
a Glass Floor Underfoot by AC Benus Complete
Audre Lorde Knows What I Mean – 2021 in review by AC Benus Long-Term Hold
1940, 1970 and Today – plus other poems by AC Benus Complete
Love Looked at Me and Laughed and other poems by AC Benus Complete
Second Sight:
So what did you get up to this week?
Once again, my heart goes out to everyone trying to recover from Helene, and now a whole bunch more people dealing with the aftermath of Milton
Now not sure if you know, but there is a lot of exploding going on the surface of the sun. What that means is that the northern US and all of Canada and even Great Britain and Scandinavia are having some pretty spectacular viewing of the Northern Lights (Not to be confused with Steve ). Everyday I see pict
It's time to release the first batch of stories for this year's anthology! I will feature more stories over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for more amazing anthology stories! Please support our authors by reading their stories, leaving a reaction, comment, and/or review to let them know how you liked their stories. Now start reading!
Top 0 Most Read Paranormal - Cryptid
Features creatures from folklore, mythology, or cryptozoology, such as Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, or Chupacabra. The narrative often revolves around encounters with these mysterious beings.
No stories
Top 0 Most Read Paranormal - Cursed Objects
Focuses on objects with supernatural or cursed properties. The plot typically involves characters trying to understand or break the curse associated with the object.
No stories
To
It's October which means spooks, ghouls, fae, vampires, werecritters... yep, this month is for all the spookies! If you can handle them, that is. I chose to feature an older story written by our very own admin, @Valkyrie, for the 2017 anthology The Fall Out and Secret Spaces. This short story is a perfect bite-size treat for the season!
Turnabout is Fair Fae
by @Valkyrie
Length: 4,055
Description: Not all fairies have wings and sprinkle pixie dust. Briar Toadthistle
Well it finally happened
After several nights of the temperature dipping down to just above 0C/32F, and me going to bed a bit hotish () in the evening and waking up shivering, I think I got the start of the first cold of the season. Well, not a full blown one. Today was a day that was focused on wearing a couple of layers of sweatpants and sweatshirts and some wool socks. Also my eyeballs are floating a bit with all the water I have drank. The throat isn't that sore anymore, so I might ge
Stay tuned for this year's anthology - In too Deep! While the team works behind the scenes to get everything ready for posting, I thought it would be a good idea to reveal what's next on the agenda.
The Prompt Team is excited to announce our first prompt team event, which will take place in November. Be sure to check out Friday's blog for more information.
We will be honoring our beloved late friend Carlos Hazday by again featuring stories/poems/memories in his honor on Janu
Newly coined word? 2012?
As if our dictionaries, don't have enough to offer.
One of my personal favorites, don't laugh.
*ipty boppity boo
"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" is the iconic magical incantation used by the Fairy Godmother in Disney's 1950 animated film, Cinderella. It is the spell that transforms a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, and Cinderella's rags into a beautiful ballgown.
At least with this one*, at the appropriate time, the clock struck 12, everything w
Just the facts:
SONDER Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
SONDER Slang Meaning | Merriam-Webster
SONDER in Thesaurus: All Synonyms & Antonyms
SONDER Synonyms: 30 Similar Words & Phrases
Instagram
Sonder is the profound realization that every random passerby is living a life as vivid, complex, and deeply personal as your own.
Key Meaning
Main Character Effect: You recognize that every stranger you see is the protagonist
Sonder—the realization that every random stranger is living a life as vivid, complex, and deeply felt as your own—is the cornerstone of rich, resonant storytelling.
Why Sonder Matters in Storytelling:
Breaks Main Character Syndrome: It shifts a narrative away from a single, ego-centric perspective, reminding the audience (and the creator) that the protagonist is only the hero of their own bubble.
Deepens Characterization: It forces writers to treat background figures, minor charac
Sonder is a modern neologism (a newly coined word) created in 2012 by author John Koenig for his online project, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.
Because it is an artistic coinage rather than a word with a traditional historical evolution, its construction draws from a mix of roots: German sondern: Meaning "to separate" or "set apart". French sonder: Meaning "to probe," "to fathom," or "to measure the depth of" (such as dropping a sounding line into water). Folk Etymology / Inspira
In storytelling, the concept of ensorcell—which means to enchant, fascinate, or place under a magical spell—serves as a powerful tool for shaping character arcs, driving plots, and controlling narrative pacing. It bridges the gap between literal magic and psychological influence.
Here is how the concept of ensorcellment impacts storytelling:
Driving the Plot and Creating Stakes: Ensorcellment often serves as the central inciting incident or conflict in a story.
The Inciting Inc
The verb ensorcell (meaning "to bewitch" or "to enchant") originated in the 1540s and comes from the Middle French word ensorceler, an alteration or dissimilation of the Old French ensorcerer. It is the combination of the prefix -en, meaning "in" or "into" (or an intensive prefix meaning "to cause") and sorcier, the French word for "sorcerer" or "wizard", derived from the Medieval Latin sortiarius, and the ultimate Latin root meaning "lot," "fate," or "destiny".
According to the Oxford