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Fri, Nov 7, 2025

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The Writer's Cramp

Write the best poem or story in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS!

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge

Enter your story of 300 words or less.

Central International Airport

An airport with destinations and new beginnings. Take a trip.

Body Part Swap 2: The Sequel

Sequel to "Body Part Swap !!PLEASE ADD!!" After your son finds it who knows what happens.

BY ONLINE AUTHORS

Before The Clouds Broke Open

An assassin confronts a curse.

Horizon

My take on a beautiful image in a contest entry

Bug Reporting

Bugs are evil nasty critters that get into the site and break it; Help us exterminate!

The Juxtaposition of Living and UnLiving

A boring school dance turns into a night soon forgotten by some and remembered by others

READ A NEWBIE

The Basement

A hungry kid adventures down to the basement in search of a snack when the lights go out.

Crumpled flower

Two individuals unaware about each other’s feelings, could this be fate.

Our Cottage, Now For Sale

"She is the realest ghost her husband knows."

Forever Fever

Forever doesn't always stay for ever

BY ONLINE AUTHORS

Musical Names

8 / 24 / 2025 Daily #2 Original art

Evan's expanding popularity, part two

Emdersons Part 5

Minerva Adjusts to her surroundings

Aren't real numbers also imaginary?

Answered: Imaginary numbers aren't real, but aren't real numbers imaginary too?

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Writing.Com Newsletter Archives: shannonchapel

Newsletter Archives Home

Writing.Com Newsletters Edited by Shannon


#13394:	Short Stories	October 22, 2025
Fact or Fiction We've all heard the term "Fake News," but deception doesn't just apply to news outlets. Can you tell the truth from a lie?

#13307:	Short Stories	August 27, 2025
A Writer's Guide to Creative Ideas Finding inspiration as a short story writer can feel like chasing lightning... Do you ask yourself "what if?"

#13212:	Short Stories	July 02, 2025
Principles and Concepts Fundamental rules and guidelines that help writers create effective, impactful stories. Do you have a favorite rule or guideline?

#13118:	Short Stories	May 07, 2025
Persevere, Produce, & Publish in 2025 Where to Submit Your Short Stories: Markets You Shouldn't Miss n/a

#13023:	Short Stories	March 12, 2025
Anatomy of a Crime n/a

#12933:	Short Stories	January 15, 2025
Homophones: Theirye're, Problem Solved! Homophones seem like small potatoes in the grand scheme, but improper usage can negatively impact your writing. Do you have a favorite? :-)

#12847:	Short Stories	November 20, 2024
Enter Contests to Improve Your Writing “A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it.” ~ Edgar Allan Poe Do you have a favorite writing contest that's ongoing or one that you've participated in?

#12755:	Short Stories	September 25, 2024
Rearrange, Rephrase, Revise "It is perfectly okay to write garbage as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C.J. Cherryh Do you use a checklist or similar tool to edit your work?

#12661:	Short Stories	July 31, 2024
The Controversial Oxford Comma "You know you're a language nerd when you have a strong opinion about serial commas." ~Internet meme, c. 2012 How do you feel about the Oxford comma?

#12576:	Short Stories	June 05, 2024
The Bell Jar "Hurt people hurt people." ~ Charles Eads n/a

#12498:	Short Stories	April 10, 2024
Dear Boss "Dear Boss, I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet." ~ Jack the Ripper Do you think there's enough originality in the world of storytelling?

#12406:	Short Stories	February 14, 2024
To Be or Not to Be "Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time." ~ Maya Angelou n/a

#12323:	Short Stories	December 20, 2023
Blessed Is the Season "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." ~ Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol" n/a

#12233:	Short Stories	October 25, 2023
Kindle Creativity “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working." - Henri Matisse What do you do when your creative well runs dry?

#12146:	Short Stories	August 30, 2023
Life Is Just a Fantasy "Fantasy mirrors desire. Imagination reshapes it." ~Mason Cooley n/a

#12049:	Short Stories	July 05, 2023
The Power of Language "Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic." ~ J.K. Rowling n/a

#11951:	Short Stories	May 10, 2023
Science Fact “Everything is becoming science fiction." ~ J. G. Ballard What's something that's science fiction right now that will be real in the foreseeable future?

#11857:	Short Stories	March 15, 2023
This Day In History "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." ~ Winston Churchill How has history inspired your stories? Share your creative ideas based on memorable dates!

#11758:	Short Stories	January 18, 2023
Murder in a Small Town "I have too great a soul to die like a criminal." ~ John Wilkes Booth n/a

#11670:	Short Stories	November 23, 2022
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction "Truth is not only stranger than fiction, it is more interesting." ~William Randolph Hearst n/a

#11577:	Short Stories	September 28, 2022
Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies "Don't lie about anything, ever. Lying leads to Hell." ~ Jordan Peterson How do you feel about telling lies?

#11487:	Short Stories	August 03, 2022
Is Seeing Still Believing? In the 1990s, academic researchers developed a terrifying technology with tragic real-life consequences. How will your character respond when faced with false accusations and damning evidence?

#11395:	Short Stories	June 08, 2022
What If? "Maybe life is random, but I doubt it." ~ Steven Tyler Do you ever wonder... "What if?"

#11307:	Short Stories	April 13, 2022
Anamnesis Plunder your abundant memory cache What experiences have you written about?

#11214:	Short Stories	February 16, 2022
Alternate History "History is a set of lies agreed upon." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte If you could change one historical event, what would it be and why?

#11130:	Short Stories	December 22, 2021
Secret Rooms and Hidden Tunnels "The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places." Roald Dahl Are you good at keeping secrets?

#11040:	Short Stories	October 27, 2021
Stories From Around the Internet Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction What's an unexpected place where you've found inspiration?

#10960:	Short Stories	September 01, 2021
Fearless Writing with Émile Zola "I am charmed to observe that my brother journalists possess the sensitive nerves of young girls." ~ Émile Zola n/a

#10864:	Short Stories	July 07, 2021
What Scares You? "My 'fear' is my substance, and probably the best part of me." ~ Franz Kafka ...

#10758:	Short Stories	May 12, 2021
Odds and Ends "A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it." ~ Edgar Allan Poe n/a

#10665:	Short Stories	March 17, 2021
16 Personalities "I am what is mine. Personality is the original personal property." ~ Norman O. Brown n/a

#10569:	Short Stories	January 20, 2021
Ridiculous Rules and Regulations "The essence of tyranny is the enforcement of stupid laws." ~ Edmund Burke n/a

#10481:	Short Stories	November 25, 2020
Grateful for Being “Let all your thinks be thanks.” ~ W.H. Auden n/a

#10387:	Short Stories	September 30, 2020
Centuries of Beastly Occurrences "Clearly, animals know more than we think, and think a great deal more than we know." ~ Irene M. Pepperberg n/a

#10302:	Short Stories	August 05, 2020
Operation Underground Railroad Save the Children n/a

#10210:	Short Stories	June 10, 2020
A History of Riots in America "Can we all get along?" ~ Rodney King n/a

#10118:	Short Stories	April 15, 2020
Conspiracy Theories "Is something still considered a conspiracy if it's played out right under our noses?" ~ Moby What do you think?

#10021:	Short Stories	February 19, 2020
For the Love of Writing “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ~ Louis L’Amour Do you ever dread writing, as if it's a chore?

#9927:	Short Stories	December 25, 2019
Random Acts of Kindness “Be the reason someone smiles, the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” ~ Roy Bennett n/a

#9885:	Short Stories	November 27, 2019
Think, Believe, Heal? "Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think." ~ Buddha n/a

#9832:	Short Stories	October 30, 2019
Roko's Basilisk “We will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I’m rooting for the machines.” ~ Claude Shannon n/a

#9784:	Short Stories	October 02, 2019
Mass Psychogenic Illness “Guilt and hysteria. And at the bottom of it all, like an evil dragon, lies Fear.” ~ Henry Miller n/a

#9741:	Short Stories	September 04, 2019
Birthday Blessings "Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence." ~ Colin Powell n/a

#9686:	Short Stories	August 07, 2019
Blackstone's Formulation "It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.” ~ Sir William Blackstone n/a

#9630:	Short Stories	July 10, 2019
The Hero's Journey "Don't forget, you are the hero of your own story." ~ Greg Boyle n/a

#9555:	Short Stories	June 12, 2019
Our Orwellian Reality "When we shift our perception, our experience changes." ~ Lindsay Wagner n/a

#9502:	Short Stories	May 15, 2019
Fear, Self-Sabotage, and You "Be afraid. Be very afraid." ~ The Fly What are your greatest fears?

#9450:	Short Stories	April 17, 2019
The Man Who Wasn't There Curious Cases of Commuting Characters n/a

#9442:	Short Stories	March 20, 2019
The Epitome of Evil "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist." ~ from the film The Usual Suspects n/a

#9387:	Short Stories	February 20, 2019
Trust No One Truth is stranger than fiction n/a

#9335:	Short Stories	January 23, 2019
Secrets and Lies Like real people, our characters have secrets and tell lies about who they are. Are your characters completely honest about themselves and their history?

#9294:	Short Stories	December 26, 2018
Making Memories Fiction Fodder: Family, friends,and festivities n/a

#9229:	Short Stories	November 28, 2018
From DNA to OMG "When you give your DNA, you give up not only your own genetic privacy, but that of your entire family." ~ Tiffany Li n/a

#9186:	Short Stories	October 31, 2018
Things That Go Bump in the Night Is fear itself really the only thing we have to fear? n/a

#9148:	Short Stories	October 03, 2018
The Dark Side Convicts and Crime Stories n/a

#9100:	Short Stories	September 05, 2018
The Fairness Factor "The universe is not fair and it is never going to be fair." ~ Daniel Keys Moran n/a

#9038:	Short Stories	August 08, 2018
People are Strange "The world is a strange and wonderful place." ~ Laurie Anderson n/a

#9026:	Spiritual	August 01, 2018
Give a Little Bit "Did universal charity prevail, earth would be a heaven, and hell a fable." ~ Charles Caleb Coltony n/a

#8995:	Short Stories	July 11, 2018
Inspiration, Please! "Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go." ~ E. L. Doctorow n/a

#8980:	Spiritual	July 04, 2018
Equal Opportunity Offenders "Bombarding people with ‘sensationalized’ negativity has real psychological effects." ~ Graham C.L. Davey Ph.D. n/a

#8922:	Short Stories	June 13, 2018
The Body Farm "Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome." ~ Isaac Asimov n/a

#8933:	Spiritual	June 06, 2018
All Too Familiar "Familiarity breeds contempt, while rarity wins admiration." ~ Lucius Apuleis (124 – 170 A.D.) n/a

#8873:	Short Stories	May 16, 2018
Medieval Animal Trials "You can always tell about somebody by the way they put their hands on an animal." ~ Betty White n/a

#8885:	Spiritual	May 09, 2018
In Gratitude Aging means you've been blessed with another day n/a

#8815:	Short Stories	April 18, 2018
What Is Courage? "Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall." ~ Ray Bradbury n/a

#8831:	Spiritual	April 11, 2018
For Women Only Why women are the gatekeepers of happy marriages n/a

#8775:	Short Stories	March 21, 2018
Start with Why Understanding The Golden Circle n/a

#8788:	Spiritual	March 14, 2018
Back to Basics How modern technology has ruined communication n/a

#8730:	Short Stories	February 21, 2018
Winchester: Fact vs. Fiction The real story behind San José's Winchester Mystery House n/a

#8752:	Spiritual	February 14, 2018
Less Is More How to respond when someone's grieving n/a

#8689:	Short Stories	January 24, 2018
Get Inspired Searching for that spark of creativity n/a

#8702:	Spiritual	January 17, 2018
Why Won't You Forgive Me? When "I'm sorry" isn't enough n/a

#8631:	Short Stories	December 27, 2017
Christmahanukwanzaakah Peace and holiday blessings to you and yours n/a

#8654:	Spiritual	December 20, 2017
I'm Sorry The two most healing words in the English language n/a

#8584:	Short Stories	November 29, 2017
About a Guy Why the character study is so compelling n/a

#8607:	Spiritual	November 22, 2017
Pray We ALL have something for which to be grateful n/a

#8543:	Short Stories	November 01, 2017
The Story Within Viewing images with a writer's eye n/a

#8542:	Spiritual	October 25, 2017
Roll With It, Baby Inspiration often comes from unlikely sources n/a

#8494:	Short Stories	October 04, 2017
Fall Into Fiction Colder weather means more time to write, right? n/a

#8531:	Spiritual	September 27, 2017
The Usurper Alzheimer's: a disease of stealth and destruction n/a

#8451:	Short Stories	September 06, 2017
Points of Minutiae The truth about forensic analysis n/a

#8452:	Spiritual	August 30, 2017
1SE Why it's important to take time to appreciate n/a

#8394:	Short Stories	August 09, 2017
Total Solar Eclipse Eclipse excitement and a state of imminent emergency n/a

#8415:	Spiritual	August 02, 2017
The Uninvited Do you believe the living can communicate with the dead? n/a

#8343:	Short Stories	July 12, 2017
The Components of Story "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." ~ Maya Angelou n/a

#8369:	Spiritual	July 05, 2017
Hermeneutics Is your interpretation of the Bible literal, figurative, or metaphorical? n/a

#8298:	Short Stories	June 14, 2017
The Architect How the sixteen personality types help you create more realistic characters n/a

#8318:	Spiritual	June 07, 2017
A Grateful Heart "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~ William Arthur Ward n/a

#8249:	Short Stories	May 17, 2017
A History of Madness How a jaunt through the annals of history can inspire your muse n/a

#8263:	Spiritual	May 10, 2017
What Would Jesus Do? How reading Jesus's words changed my life n/a

#8197:	Short Stories	April 19, 2017
Web of Lies Deceit, duplicity, and other disingenuous, dastardly deeds. n/a

#8222:	Spiritual	April 12, 2017
A Guided Meditation "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." ~ Albert Einstein n/a

#8148:	Short Stories	March 22, 2017
The Watcher "We cruise around and see what you guys are doing, and end up putting it in books." ~ Stephen King n/a

#8175:	Spiritual	March 15, 2017
Daily Devotions "They all lead to God in the end." ~ Preface, A Course in Miracles. n/a

#8105:	Short Stories	February 22, 2017
The Horror "There's no purer feeling in the world than being scared." ~ Stephen Graham Jones n/a

#8126:	Spiritual	February 15, 2017
Love Is in the Air "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." ~ Audrey Hepburn n/a

#8054:	Short Stories	January 25, 2017
Like a Boss Dream. Decide. Direction. Dare. Determination. Discipline. Deadline? n/a

#8079:	Spiritual	January 18, 2017
Divided We Fall "The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety." ~ W. Somerset Maugham n/a

#8006:	Short Stories	December 28, 2016
Looking Forward to 2017 "I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring." ~ David Bowie n/a

#8032:	Spiritual	December 21, 2016
Holidays and Grief "There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief." ~ Aeschylus n/a

#7944:	Short Stories	November 30, 2016
Don't Fear the Reaper "We are living on the brink of the apocalypse, but the world is asleep." ~ Joel C. Rosenberg n/a

#7980:	Spiritual	November 23, 2016
Kindness Matters "Hold back any harsh thoughts, words or criticisms, and find a way to be gentle in your dealings with self and others." n/a

#7918:	Short Stories	November 02, 2016
Reading, Reviewing, and Rating The scary side of posting content online. This edition includes trinkets! n/a

#7928:	Spiritual	October 26, 2016
Got To Tell Somebody Music is integral to humanity, and much of our spirituality resides between the notes. n/a

#7892:	Short Stories	October 05, 2016
Trinkets WDC's newest and most addicting feature has finally arrived! n/a

#7876:	Spiritual	September 28, 2016
Dream a Little Dream of Me Do you believe in dream interpretation? n/a

#7840:	Short Stories	September 07, 2016
Story Starters Why wait for a light at the end of the tunnel when you can switch on a lamp? n/a

#7816:	Spiritual	August 31, 2016
Spiritual Destinations Taking your practice one step farther n/a

#7786:	Short Stories	August 10, 2016
Map Your Course “All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” ~ Earl Nightingale n/a

#7777:	Spiritual	August 03, 2016
Words Are Things Moving a little closer toward love n/a

#7742:	Short Stories	July 13, 2016
Introverts, Extroverts, and You “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ~ Aristotle n/a

#7727:	Spiritual	July 06, 2016
The Devil's Bible Discovering the truth behind the world's largest existing medieval manuscript n/a

#7689:	Short Stories	June 15, 2016
Transgressions and Taboos Are you a fearless writer? n/a

#7676:	Spiritual	June 08, 2016
Seven Deadly Sins Centuries pass and civilizations crumble, yet our infatuation with sin never dies. n/a

#7617:	Short Stories	May 18, 2016
A Reluctant Hero "After twenty-two years of trying to break into the [publishing] industry, I’m creating my own." ~ Keith C. Blackmore n/a

#7616:	Spiritual	May 11, 2016
An Introduction to Mudras Health is in your hands. n/a

#7593:	Short Stories	April 20, 2016
Earth Abides "We are living on the brink of the apocalypse, but the world is asleep." ~ Joel C. Rosenberg n/a

#7580:	Spiritual	April 13, 2016
Meditative Mind "Meditation is the soul's perspective glass." ~ Owen Feltham n/a

#7541:	Short Stories	March 23, 2016
Writing Creatively “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ~ Stephen King n/a

#7529:	Spiritual	March 16, 2016
Metamorphosis “People don't resist change.They resist being changed.” ~ Peter Senge n/a

#7490:	Short Stories	February 24, 2016
The Faces of a Stranger "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." ~ Jack London n/a

#7477:	Spiritual	February 17, 2016
Humans of Planet Earth “Be pitiful, for every man is fighting a hard battle.” ~ Ian Maclaren n/a

#7435:	Short Stories	January 27, 2016
Meet UK Horror Master Iain Rob Wright “I used to think all the monsters in my life were made up.” ~ Iain Rob Wright, "The Picture Frame" n/a

#7427:	Spiritual	January 20, 2016
The Act of Forgiveness "Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. n/a

#7389:	Short Stories	December 30, 2015
MK-Ultra: The CIA's Mind-Control Program "If you don't control your mind, someone else will." ~ John Allston n/a

#7365:	Spiritual	December 23, 2015
Christmas Time is Here Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year n/a

#7334:	Short Stories	December 02, 2015
Dead and Buried "Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs." ~ William Shakespeare, "King Richard II" n/a

#7333:	Spiritual	November 25, 2015
Planksgiving 2015 Count your blessings, and make the holiday your own by starting a tradition n/a

#7298:	Short Stories	November 04, 2015
A Rose by Any Other Name What matters is what something is, not what it is called. n/a

#7284:	Spiritual	October 28, 2015
Samhain Samhain (Summer's End) is one of four Greater Sabbats, the highest holy day of witches n/a

#7246:	Short Stories	October 07, 2015
Ego Trip "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 n/a

#7233:	Spiritual	September 30, 2015
You Can Lead a Horse to Water "No one wants advice--only corroboration." ~ John Steinbeck n/a

#7195:	Short Stories	September 09, 2015
The Green-Eyed Monster "Jealousy is the tie that binds, and binds, and binds." ~ Helen Rowland n/a

#7184:	Spiritual	September 02, 2015
I am Grateful "Peace begins with a smile." ~ Mother Teresa n/a

#7145:	Short Stories	August 12, 2015
Soul Eater "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." ~ Randall Terry n/a

#7133:	Spiritual	August 05, 2015
A Celebration of Life Why does someone have to die before we celebrate their life? n/a

#7096:	Short Stories	July 15, 2015
Imaginary Lover "Where there's smoke, there's fire. Where there's you, there's desire." ~ Unknown n/a

#7083:	Spiritual	July 08, 2015
Winds of Change "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." ~ Aristotle n/a

#7044:	Short Stories	June 17, 2015
E is for Envy "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." ~ Proverbs 14:30 n/a

#7033:	Spiritual	June 10, 2015
Scenes from a Restaurant How a trip to the salad bar led to an unexpected act of kindness n/a

#6994:	Short Stories	May 20, 2015
Unbreak My Heart "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." ~ C.S. Lewis n/a

#6978:	Spiritual	May 13, 2015
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." ~ Wayne Dyer n/a

#6939:	Short Stories	April 22, 2015
My Last Nerve "I don't usually lose my temper, but if I get angry, it's true--I'm scary." ~ Eva Mendes n/a

#6925:	Spiritual	April 15, 2015
Follow the Leader "Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others." ~ John Maxwell n/a

#6889:	Short Stories	March 25, 2015
Shackled and Chained Everyone fears something, but how do you write about it in a convincing, sympathetic way? n/a

#6878:	Spiritual	March 18, 2015
A Team-Building Exercise What folding a towel taught me n/a

#6842:	Short Stories	February 25, 2015
Yada Yada Yada Advice can be daunting n/a

#6831:	Spiritual	February 18, 2015
The Transformative Power of Prayer “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but to change the nature of the one who prays.” ~ Soren Kierkegaard n/a

#6791:	Short Stories	January 28, 2015
That Guy "So the writer who breeds more words than he needs is making a chore for the reader who reads." ~ Dr. Seuss n/a

#6774:	Spiritual	January 21, 2015
Do You Believe? Spirits and demons and psychics, oh my! n/a

#6737:	Short Stories	December 31, 2014
What's Your Platform? The art of self-promotion n/a

#6726:	Spiritual	December 24, 2014
The Gift of a Year "If you don't give to yourself, you will suffer damage." ~ Dr. Mira Kirshenbaum n/a

#6684:	Short Stories	December 03, 2014
Collaborative Writing Leapfrogging your way across the finish line n/a

#6677:	Spiritual	November 26, 2014
I See You Amanda Palmer, TED, and "The Art of Asking." n/a

#6636:	Short Stories	November 05, 2014
1,667 Words "Normal people can produce extraordinary things by simply refusing to leave a blank page blank." ~ Chris Baty n/a

#6624:	Spiritual	October 29, 2014
Inherent Goodness My vacation proved what I believed to be true all along n/a

#6584:	Short Stories	October 08, 2014
Say It Ain't So-So Don't settle for mediocre; strive for extraordinary n/a

#6573:	Spiritual	October 01, 2014
Angelic Introductions Are you a believer? n/a

#6533:	Short Stories	September 10, 2014
It's Raining Men Rugby, the rain, Rambo, and you n/a

#6509:	Spiritual	September 03, 2014
Creating a Sacred Space Prized particulars for personalizing your practice n/a

#6482:	Short Stories	August 13, 2014
GC1F2XN "We never seek things for themselves. What we seek is the very seeking of things." ~ Blaise Pascal n/a

#6467:	Spiritual	August 06, 2014
Mortification of the Flesh Spiritual cleansing through self-denial and pain n/a

#6429:	Short Stories	July 16, 2014
The Trickster "A company of wolves is better than a company of wolves in sheep's clothing." ~ Anthony Liccione n/a

#6402:	Spiritual	July 09, 2014
Cults in America From Koresh, to Applewhite, to Jim Jones n/a

#6376:	Short Stories	June 18, 2014
The Ally Thank you for being a friend n/a

#6364:	Spiritual	June 11, 2014
Just Breathe Sometimes the best thing you can do for your spiritual wellbeing is take a time out n/a

#6325:	Short Stories	May 21, 2014
The Shadow Welcome to the dark side n/a

#6313:	Spiritual	May 14, 2014
Religion vs. Spirituality Is there a difference, and if so, what is it? n/a

#6272:	Short Stories	April 23, 2014
The Shapeshifter The next archetype in Vogler's "The Writer's Journey." n/a

#6262:	Spiritual	April 16, 2014
Batter Up! Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and sometimes it feels like you're dodging the automated pitching machine. n/a

#6222:	Short Stories	March 26, 2014
The Herald "Herald characters issue challenges and announce the coming of significant change." ~ Christopher Vogler n/a

#6212:	Spiritual	March 19, 2014
Pictorial Pastiche Exercising your creativity is a spiritual practice. n/a

#6173:	Short Stories	February 26, 2014
The Threshold Guardian At the gateway to adventure, the Threshold Guardian awaits n/a

#6163:	Spiritual	February 19, 2014
Us and Them Saturday, celebrities, an epiphany, and me n/a

#6124:	Short Stories	January 29, 2014
M is for Mentor "Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction." ~ John Crosby n/a

#6111:	Spiritual	January 22, 2014
Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman Four weeks, four letters, for your soul n/a

#6071:	Short Stories	January 01, 2014
I Need a Hero Archetypes, character arc, and the Hero's Journey n/a

#6057:	Spiritual	December 25, 2013
God Bless Us, Everyone Peace and goodwill, love and laughter, graciousness and gratitude can be practiced wherever you are n/a

#6027:	Short Stories	December 04, 2013
Gimme Five When it comes to writer's block, all I need is five minutes alone with Google n/a

#6013:	Spiritual	November 27, 2013
A Season of Thanksgiving We all have something to be thankful for n/a

#5969:	Short Stories	November 06, 2013
Physiologically Speaking Writing convincing, emotionally-charged scenes n/a

#5962:	Spiritual	October 30, 2013
Pick a Card, Any Card How card decks can be part of your daily spiritual practice n/a

#5932:	Short Stories	October 09, 2013
Once Upon a Time When it comes to story ideas, sometimes you have to think outside the box n/a

#5917:	Spiritual	October 02, 2013
A Spoonful of Sugar One funeral, six years, twelve boxes, and two BIG surprises n/a

#5876:	Short Stories	September 11, 2013
Alternate Endings A writing exercise n/a

#5862:	Spiritual	September 04, 2013
Time Marches On Life is a continuous cycle of decay and growth, death and new life. n/a

#5830:	Short Stories	August 14, 2013
A Day in the Country Inspiration lurks right outside your door n/a

#5817:	Spiritual	August 07, 2013
Holy Now Getting in touch with my Cherokee heritage n/a

#5776:	Short Stories	July 17, 2013
Making a List, Checking It Twice How lists can stimulate and inspire your muse n/a

#5764:	Spiritual	July 10, 2013
Fitting In vs. Belonging Are they the same thing, and what can we learn from them? n/a

#5732:	Short Stories	June 19, 2013
Knock on Wood Tempting fate and other superstitions n/a

#5717:	Spiritual	June 12, 2013
The Boogeyman in the Closet A personal story about Alzheimer's, Stephen King, and unconditional love n/a

#5679:	Short Stories	May 22, 2013
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words How photographs kindle creativity n/a

#5666:	Spiritual	May 15, 2013
With a Wink and a Smile How a bully helped me transform into who I am today n/a

#5630:	Short Stories	April 24, 2013
Truly, Madly, Deeply How adverbs and adjectives weigh down your manuscript n/a

#5619:	Spiritual	April 17, 2013
You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks It's never too late to make changes n/a

#5573:	Short Stories	March 27, 2013
Crisis Acute What you can learn from a 1949 sci-fi classic n/a

#5559:	Spiritual	March 20, 2013
Is There Anybody In There? Just Nod If You Can Hear Me n/a

#5530:	Short Stories	February 26, 2013
Let the Pains Begin Sometimes we must hit rock bottom n/a

#5519:	Spiritual	February 19, 2013
Man's Best Friend Our pets can teach us a thing or three n/a

#5507:	Spiritual	February 12, 2013
If At First You Don't Succeed How do you define success, and what brings you happiness? n/a

#5483:	Short Stories	January 29, 2013
Born Free "Disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind." n/a

#5471:	Spiritual	January 22, 2013
Isn't It Ironic Alanis Morissette ain't got nothin' on me n/a

#5458:	Spiritual	January 15, 2013
Learning from Elena Lessons from the littlest teachers n/a

#5438:	Short Stories	January 01, 2013
Out With the Old, In With the New As 2012 ends, 2013 offers limitless possibilities n/a

#5413:	Spiritual	December 18, 2012
A Moment of Silence Dedicated to everyone shattered by Friday's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT n/a

#5391:	Short Stories	December 04, 2012
God Is in the Details If writing is worth doing, it's worth doing right n/a

#5381:	Spiritual	November 27, 2012
Giving Is Its Own Reward You can contribute any time of year n/a

#5370:	Spiritual	November 20, 2012
A Time for Thanksgiving Gratitude shouldn't be expressed only one day a year n/a

#5346:	Short Stories	November 06, 2012
Teensy Tiny Tricks that Titillate How using various tools and techniques can spice up your writing n/a

#5335:	Spiritual	October 31, 2012
Ghoulies & Ghosties & 3-legged Beasties A brief discussion about the history of Halloween and how it's celebrated n/a

#5320:	Spiritual	October 24, 2012
Try a Little Tenderness You can shine the light of love in the depths of someone else's despair n/a

#5297:	Short Stories	October 10, 2012
Gone but Not Forgotten Be a witness to your place and time by writing personal essays and memoirs n/a

#5237:	Short Stories	September 12, 2012
Sticks and Stones Why it's so important to choose our words carefully n/a

#5213:	Spiritual	August 29, 2012
The Noticer Sometimes the noticer likes to be noticed, too n/a

#5204:	Short Stories	August 15, 2012
My Launderette How an encounter in a laundromat inspired one of my favorite stories n/a

#5190:	Spiritual	August 08, 2012
Time for a Little Spring Cleaning Garage sales are good for the soul n/a

#5150:	Short Stories	July 18, 2012
Now What? What to do with your stories after you've perfected them n/a

#5139:	Spiritual	July 11, 2012
Reclaim Your Power Inspirational words from Bishop T.D. Jakes n/a

#5100:	Short Stories	June 20, 2012
On This Day How to use this day in history to jump-start your writing n/a

#5075:	Spiritual	June 06, 2012
10 Things I Hate About You No one is born a hater n/a

#5051:	Short Stories	May 23, 2012
Bump in the Night Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me n/a

#5040:	Short Stories	May 16, 2012
I Object! How attending a court proceeding might inspire your muse n/a

#5019:	Spiritual	May 09, 2012
A Series of Unfortunate Events One's true self will never be more exposed than when faced with hardship and pain. n/a

#5005:	Short Stories	April 25, 2012
All I Have To Do Is Dream Using dreams to power your story n/a

#4953:	Short Stories	March 28, 2012
Spirit Is a Fragile Thing "Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up." ~ Jesse Jackson n/a

#4932:	Short Stories	March 21, 2012
Chance Encounters How meeting a stranger can inspire your muse n/a

#4913:	Spiritual	March 14, 2012
I Forgive You "Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself." ~ Suzanne Somers n/a

#4902:	Short Stories	February 29, 2012
Shut Up and Write Why Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Practice" should become yours n/a

#4870:	Spiritual	February 15, 2012
Wonka Wisdom "Hold your breath. Make a wish. Count to three." n/a

#4836:	Short Stories	February 01, 2012
Modus Operandi How your character's passion motivates and inspires his actions n/a

#4797:	Short Stories	January 04, 2012
In the Beginning How your introductory paragraph can make or break your story n/a

#4787:	Short Stories	December 27, 2011
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother How our plight affects those who love us most n/a

#4748:	Short Stories	December 06, 2011
It Must Be a Full Moon How our own superstitious beliefs, distinguishing traits, and quirky mannerisms are reflected in our characters n/a

#4728:	Short Stories	November 29, 2011
Something Old, Something New Every item has a story. All you have to do is listen. n/a

#4699:	Short Stories	November 08, 2011
The Midnight Disease Coined by Edgar Allen Poe, "The Midnight Disease" (A.K.A. hypergraphia) is an overwhelming compulsion to write n/a

#4678:	Spiritual	October 26, 2011
The Power Of One Opportunities to serve will present themselves. You DO have the power to bless someone else's life n/a

#4654:	Short Stories	October 12, 2011
Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Writer's block? Pick up your local newspaper n/a

#4630:	Spiritual	September 28, 2011
Free Hugs Making the world a better place one act of kindness, one personal encounter, one hug at a time. n/a

#4598:	Short Stories	September 14, 2011
"Call 911 cuz you just stopped my heart" How a family dinner and a packet of Splenda® inspired my creativity n/a

#4557:	Short Stories	August 17, 2011
Murder in the Grove An afternoon with J.A. Jance leaves a lasting impression n/a

#4538:	Spiritual	August 03, 2011
"I Wonder How I'll Be Remembered." How a Sunday morning sermon revealed the formula for discovering your life's purpose n/a

#4507:	Short Stories	July 20, 2011
I Ate Lunch With Rambo How an afternoon with author David Morrell changed my writing life forever n/a

#4484:	Spiritual	July 06, 2011
Be A Beneficial Presence, Part 2 Will you leave this place better than when you arrived? n/a

#4458:	Short Stories	June 22, 2011
Copyrights and Trademarks If someone else wrote it, photographed it, painted it, translated it, recorded it, or drew it, it's copyrighted n/a

#4435:	Spiritual	June 08, 2011
Be A Beneficial Presence, Part 1 Do you infect people with your smile, or poison them with your negativity? n/a

#4409:	Short Stories	May 25, 2011
And the Winner Is ... How entering contests gets your name out there AND makes you a better writer n/a

#4366:	Short Stories	April 27, 2011
Who'd've Strunk It? Though 90+ years have passed, "The Elements of Style" is STILL the definitive guide to clean, concise, crisp writing. n/a

#4333:	Spiritual	April 13, 2011
Going Home Is death the end, or just the beginning? n/a

#4307:	Short Stories	March 30, 2011
My Five Sense Worth How Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch Form Our Memories and Shape Our Lives n/a

#4258:	Short Stories	March 02, 2011
Breakdowns and Breakthroughs How the most painful challenges are often the most rewarding n/a

#4217:	Short Stories	February 02, 2011
Perception Is Reality or, "Who the heck ARE you, anyway?" n/a

#4159:	Short Stories	January 05, 2011
Same Old Lang Syne A story about love, loss, regret, and new beginnings n/a

#4127:	Noticing Newbies	December 14, 2010
New Beginnings When the door to one year closes, another one opens, and the possibilities are endless n/a

#4114:	Short Stories	December 07, 2010
Conspiracy Theory Just Because You're Paranoid Doesn't Mean They're Not Out To Get You n/a

#4062:	Short Stories	November 09, 2010
So, what did you think of my story? How to be brutally honest without being brutal. n/a

#4012:	Short Stories	October 13, 2010
"My Name Is Roger, and I'm an addict." How personal demons humanize your characters and endear them to your readers n/a

#3929:	Short Stories	September 15, 2010
Never Forget How Kübler-Ross's Five Stages of Grief empowers us (and our characters) to understand and accept our own mortality n/a

#3876:	Short Stories	August 18, 2010
This Little Piggy Went to Market How to market your stories and eliminate unnecessary rejections n/a

#3849:	Short Stories	July 21, 2010
That Which Does Not Kill Us How tragedy makes us stronger people ... and better writers n/a

#3844:	Romance/Love	July 14, 2010
An Ernest Lesson How Hemingway's passionate writing can teach us a thing or three n/a

#3826:	Comedy	July 07, 2010
CAUTION: Wet Floor How an innocent trip to Wal-Mart took an unexpected turn. n/a

#3770:	Short Stories	June 23, 2010
Mind Your P's and Q's How profiling your protagonist produces quality prose prone to leaving your competition quaking in their Quarks n/a

#3703:	Short Stories	May 26, 2010
Tell Me a Tale to Remember How reading the good, the bad, and the ugly makes you a better writer n/a

#3679:	Short Stories	April 28, 2010
Question If someone asked you about memorable characters, which ones would come to mind? n/a

#3603:	Short Stories	March 31, 2010
Opinion vs. Conviction How do your characters react to adversity? How strongly do they feel their beliefs? n/a

#3543:	Short Stories	March 03, 2010
Creating Believable Characters Dedicated to my autistic grandson, Skyler. n/a

#3497:	Short Stories	February 03, 2010
We the People If anyone should be championing individual freedom of thought and speech, it's us--writers. n/a

#3498:	Contests & Activities	January 20, 2010
Imagine the Possibilities! n/a

#3444:	Short Stories	January 06, 2010
Inspiration 101 Life is happening all around you. Be a vulture and steal little bites for your readers to feast upon. n/a

#3418:	Contests & Activities	December 23, 2009
From My Home To Yours n/a

#3396:	Short Stories	December 09, 2009
Show Me Your Shorts "The true subject writes itself; it cannot be silenced." ~ Joyce Carol Oates n/a

#3364:	Contests & Activities	November 25, 2009
Finding Time to Write n/a

#3351:	Short Stories	November 11, 2009
UhOhNaNoWriMo! You and only you determine your writing destiny, and you will never be a writer if you don't write. n/a

#3309:	Contests & Activities	October 28, 2009
Contests 101 n/a

#3342:	Short Stories	October 21, 2009
The Wisdom of Maya Angelou "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." ~ Maya Angelou n/a

#3284:	Short Stories	October 14, 2009
What's Your Motivation? Do you ever stop to wonder why people do the things they do? n/a

#3296:	Noticing Newbies	October 07, 2009
The Ethic of Reciprocity n/a

#3261:	Contests & Activities	September 30, 2009
When All Else Fails, Read the Directions n/a

#3246:	Short Stories	September 16, 2009
The D&D How do your characters affect each other, and more importantly, how do they affect the reader? n/a

#3205:	Contests & Activities	September 02, 2009
I'm King of the World! n/a

#3235:	Short Stories	August 26, 2009
King Me! "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." ~ Stephen King n/a

#3220:	For Authors	August 26, 2009
Write What You . . . NO! n/a

#3184:	Short Stories	August 19, 2009
What Do I Care? What compels people to turn the page? n/a

#3168:	Contests & Activities	August 05, 2009
WDC Angels n/a

#3131:	Short Stories	July 22, 2009
The Gift of a Good Book "Easy reading is damn hard writing." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne n/a

#3106:	Contests & Activities	July 08, 2009
Things That Make You Go Hmm n/a

#3082:	Short Stories	June 24, 2009
What's In Your Toolbox? n/a

#3058:	Contests & Activities	June 10, 2009
Raffles and Auctions and Groups, Oh My! n/a

#3045:	Short Stories	May 27, 2009
Shape Sorter Surprise n/a

#3031:	Contests & Activities	May 13, 2009
Did I Really Just Do That? n/a

#3032:	Short Stories	May 06, 2009
It's All About the Story n/a

#3008:	Contests & Activities	April 29, 2009
Got Dependability? n/a

#2978:	Romance/Love	April 22, 2009
Eye of the Beholder n/a

#2973:	Contests & Activities	April 15, 2009
Delight In the Details n/a

#2926:	For Authors	April 08, 2009
Get Real n/a

#2888:	Romance/Love	March 25, 2009
My Clichéd Amour n/a

#2924:	Contests & Activities	March 18, 2009
I Danced with a Giant n/a

#2903:	Contests & Activities	March 04, 2009
Let's Go Over Our Chekhov List n/a

#2847:	Contests & Activities	February 18, 2009
All You Need Is Love n/a

#2823:	Contests & Activities	January 21, 2009
They're supposed to be paying me, right? n/a

#2756:	Contests & Activities	December 24, 2008
New Year's Resolutions n/a

#2709:	Contests & Activities	November 26, 2008
Appreciate Much? n/a

#2658:	Contests & Activities	October 29, 2008
The Clock is Ticking n/a

#2609:	Contests & Activities	October 01, 2008
Our Competitive Nature n/a