S. A. Crawford
Bio
Writer, reader, life-long student - being brave and finally taking the plunge by publishing some articles and fiction pieces.
Achievements (15)
Stories (218)
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Overcoming Mid-NaNoWriMo Stagnation
So, the 15th of November is approaching like a runaway train and you realize you've hit a block. For days you've been staring at the last sentence of your work in progress, wondering how you got here, what went wrong - where did your ideas and passion go? Don't worry, mid-NaNo fatigue is a phenomenon I'm familiar with, even if you won't find it mentioned in the average psychological journal. Of course, writer's block is a well-recognized problem and it's my humble opinion that the dead end most of us reach mid-NaNoWriMo is a supercharged version of that issue.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Journal
The Last Song
Under a bruised sky, ruptured by lightning, in the smoke and haze of the clearance zone, three hundred figures in green and yellow clashed. They fought in a no-man’s land, kicking up ash onto logging machinery while the old forest, bent and weary, shivered. Its canopy was greyish, not green; it stood alone on the barren face of its world, holding memories and desperate animals in equal measure.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Fiction
Why You Should Carve a Halloween Turnip This Year
The traditions surrounding Halloween are truly ancient; dating back to the pre-Christian era and the Celtic festival of Samhain, traditions such as dressing up (known as Guising in Scotland) are widespread. There is one tradition, however, that is arguably more iconic than any other: carving Jack O'Lanterns.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in FYI
Hiding from Devils: 'Guising' on Halloween
Born in Scotland in the '90s, I always knew this tradition as guising - it wasn't until the Americanization of our culture began in earnest that I heard it called "trick or treating". Less than 500 miles from the Artic Circle (with certain parts of the country closer to the Arctic than London), Scotland is dark and cold October. The nights draw in quickly and seem to hold intent, the air is cold and wet, biting at times, and the smell of decaying leaves and foliage is one I associate with this time of year thanks to the semi-rural nature of the town I grew up in.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in FYI
NaNoWriMo Prep
The National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) is an authorial institution, of sorts. Founded by Chris Baty in 1999 with a word count goal set by finding the shortest book on his shelf (Aldous Huxley's Brave New World), NaNoWriMo has always been about the glorious spirit of "let's fuck around and see what happens", but that doesn't mean it's easy. Writing an average of 1,667 words per day isn't as easy as it sounds, after all.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Journal
What I Learned From Self-Harm
This is an uncomfortable topic for most people, but the truth is that it never has been for me. Self-harm was always the best alternative to suicide, always the choice I made rather than breaking down... and I got very good at it very quickly. If you're starting to get angry, feeling that this is a glamourization of something seriously twisted now might be the time to dip out.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Psyche
Glitter T*ts
At the arguably 'mature' age of 28, I pierced my nipples on a whim. When I was younger, I dreamed of piercing my nipples and belly button when I was 'thinner' (in quotes here because I was a UK size 10 to 12 at 18), when I had more confidence, after a boob job (because like most girls that age I thought my perky, natural breasts were 'saggy' thanks to porn). Of course, I never got thinner, perkier, or more confident because the world is a meat grinder and none of us make it out alive...
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Filthy
Don't Let Tinder Burn You . Top Story - September 2022.
It's the age of technology and the impact has been felt in our romantic lives perhaps more than any other. We are more able to meet dozens, or even hundreds of people, very quickly, we're more likely to meet people far removed from our friend and family groups, and we're empowered to find people who really suit our lifestyle and preferences. Of course for every prince, or princess, online dating puts us in contact with there are hundreds of trolls, frogs, and grade-A boogeymen.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Humans
A Doggone Disaster
I was crying at 3 am on the day of my dissertation deadline. With 8 hours left to submit the gargantuan project, a pounding migraine brewing behind my eyes, and the sense that all my hard work had been for nothing, I started to cry. You're probably wondering how I got in this position - why didn't I start sooner, right? Well, you'd be right to ask. I did start earlier you see - an accident involving a gerbil, a glass of wine, and my laptop set me back considerably.
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Petlife
