It's that time again. We've been working on a new update for stories as we get closer and closer to the major forum version change later this year. This update included a major rewrite of the recommendations page, expansion of the reading history system, addition of story awards (a blast from the long past), and some underlying work to prepare for the future.
Recommendations
It is now possible to view all recommended stories as we have added the ability to change pages. We have also
Is it just me or is it dark in here ? Where is my menu bar? Well the say that things that don't change go stale, so keep that in mind at times when you hate change Wait, Google is dark for me too! My Documents is empty 😮 WTF 😮
A bit of a surprise when I logged in tonight. I mean everything else I have is in dark mode, so why not GA, right? The thing is, I don't know what I did or if I can reverse it
I do have urgent matters to attend to tonight so we are going to to do short and t
We are creatures of habit, and sometimes those habits can be a bit strange, especially to other people. My best friend in high school preferred to walk on the right side of people. If I forgot and walked on her right side, she would make me switch over to her left side. It became a bit of a joke between us, and it became a habit for me to walk on the left side of people, even if she wasn't around. Over thirty years later, I still walk on the left side of people and feel uncomfortable if I w
Short stories can be many things – a complete story, a character sketch, or an experiment in form. They are, by definition, short, which may leave some readers readying the torches and pitchforks. @wildone asked a question in our last guest blog about what to do when readers are clamoring for more, and you want to continue the story, but not necessarily at that moment. It’s a great question and one I deal with on a regular basis since I primarily write short stories. I’ve gotten quite adept at
Did you catch Monday's feature of Stellar's story, Spirit of Fire? If you love fantasy, Stellar never disappoints with his stories. If you are daunted by the large word count... well that's just more to love! Check out this excerpt below; it's just one example!
Want to read more? Click here.
Non-Fiction Top read Sub-genres since Feb 2024.
Top 7 Most Read Non-Fiction - Autobiography
is a self-written account of one's life. Takes stock of the autobiographer's life from the moment of composition. While biographers generally rely on a wide variety of documents and viewpoints, autobiography may be based entirely on the writer's memory.
An Advent Calendar by Aditus Complete
Pride Month, and other Haibun by AC Benus Temporary Hold
Second Sight: Remember
For some June is a month where it heats up, others it's a month of change... so this story is perfect! Then again, those are just a few tidbits on the surface, and if you've ever read a novel by Stellar, you know there's so much more underneath. Why not sink into this LONG story posted a few years ago?
Length: 196,536
Description: With a life that is almost painfully normal and unremarkable, 16 year old Torsten has no reason to believe in anything out of the ordinary. Then, a ser
Well I'm a silly boy
I was enjoying a nice cool evening to fall asleep to , and was sawing a log or two, when I woke up in shock! Shock I say
You ever wake up and realize you were supposed to do something and you forgot to? Usually for me it is a work thing and then I think to myself that there isn't much I can do about it until the morning and roll over and fall asleep again .
Just note that happened tonight and to show my dedication to everyone and GA, I got up, jump in my
With effective writing, our characters should always try to show, and not tell, the reader how they are feeling. Verbal expressions are the simplest and most direct way, like stuttering or announcing things. But, there are certain actions and reactions in the body, which are even more efficient at conveying a character's feelings. I've decided to give you a couple of opposite feelings to work with.
Here are physical clues for you to use portraying your character's state of being. Feel
Second Thursday of the month is here! Second Thursday of the month is here! Why am I repeating myself like this? Because I got ice cream from the ice cream truck while at work today! I heard it coming and rushed out the store yelling and waving with my energy and hopes at an all-time high. Best day I've had in a long, long time considering it was the second time in my life getting to purchase from an ice cream truck. I'll forever be a child, and I'm standing by that statement.
Howeve
Best laid plans... I've been working on an anthology blog post for the past couple of weeks, and every time I sit down to work on it, something seems to pull me away. So of course, it happened again tonight, but in a good way. I'm writing this on Wednesday night, 6/12, which also happens to be my birthday 🎂Without going into all the details, my day did not go according to plan. What started out as an aggravating day turned into a much better one. I had originally planned on stopping at the
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
Just the facts:
ENSORCELL Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
ENSORCELL Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
ENSORCELLMENT Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
ENSORCELLMENTS Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
ensorcell
Ensorcell (also spelled ensorcel) is a transitive verb meaning to cast a spell over, bewitch, enchant, or deeply fa
Just the facts:
BUCOLIC Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
BUCOLIC Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
BUCOLIC Synonyms: 372 Similar Words & Phrases
bucolic
Bucolic (/bjuːˈkɒlɪk/ or /bjuːˈkɑːlɪk/) means relating to the pleasant, peaceful, and idealized aspects of the countryside, rural life, or shepherds.
Definition and
In storytelling, a bucolic setting—defined by idyllic, rural, and pastoral landscapes—serves as a powerful narrative tool that goes far beyond simple background decoration. Writers and filmmakers use bucolic elements to manipulate pacing, contrast character growth, and ground abstract themes in tangible visuals,
Here is why bucolic settings are so important in storytelling:
The Archetype of the "Safe Haven": Bucolic settings often represent the ultimate emotional anchor or the "St
The word bucolic comes from the ancient Greek word boukolikos (βουκολικός), meaning "rustic" or "pertaining to herdsmen". It combines boûs (βοῦς) meaning "ox" or "cow" (which also gives us words like bovine) and -kolos (-κολος) meaning "tending" or "keeper", and together they form boukólos (βουκόλος) meaning a "cowherd" or "oxherd". The Greek term passed into Latin as būcolicus, keeping its association with herdsmen and pastoral themes.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)