Gabriel Huizenga
Bio
Twas for love of words that I first joined this site:
Poetry, especially, and dear short stories too;
For to live one's best is to read, and to write!
So find me in words here, and I'll find you 💙
Thanks for stopping by! :)
Achievements (17)
Stories (118)
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"Lost-ish" Unofficial Poetry Challenge WINNERS!
I want to open this announcement by simply expressing my deep, deep gratitude to everyone who joined in this unofficial challenge. As has already been the case so many times over, I am once again blown away by the participation, creativity, and support of this wonderful community! While I am so very honored by how you all took to my quirky, vague prompt with such verve, I have been moved even more as I've gone through each piece and witnessed the endless words of encouragement, appreciation, and praise generously shared with each other in the comments of each piece. So thank you all, truly, for the kindness and curiosity you all have towards each others work; as corny as it might sound, I must affirm that the greatest prize to be won on this site has nothing to do with money or fame - it is the community which supports its fellow writers forward with each courageous step of creativity.
By Gabriel Huizenga11 months ago in Poets
Dirt and Dregs. Honorable Mention in Legends Rewritten Challenge. Top Story - January 2025.
"What the hell are you doing back here, man?" Dirt and glass crunched as the speaker, a slim fellow dressed in a clean, gray three-piece, slowly approached a pile of garbage at the end of the alley. The well-dressed man clicked on a flashlight and swept it across the dismal scene, as a huge, dark dog followed quietly behind.
By Gabriel Huizenga12 months ago in Fiction
"Lost-ish" Unofficial Poetry Challenge
Hello friends! I'll get right into it: for quite some time now, I've wanted to host a little unofficial challenge. I have so appreciated the creativity and interest that so many other creators have shown on here when coming up with inspiration for these sorts of things! But to be frank, I have not been nearly as present nor participatory as I would like to have been on Vocal in recent months. I have promised myself that I would catch up on the creative projects of dear friends on here, but have found myself falling behind on that oath again and again. While I still hope to catch up on reading a number of wonderful stories and poems adrift a ways back on the Vocal seas, I also wanted to see if I could get a few friendly folks to write some new works that I can be absolutely certain I will read - namely, because I am promising to judge them all in an unofficial contest!
By Gabriel Huizenga12 months ago in Poets
A Musical Endeavor . Runner-Up in New Year, New Projects Challenge.
To be honest, I was a bit daunted by the idea of writing a thousand words to meet the word count required for the "New Year, New Projects" Vocal Challenge. I felt that I could describe my commitment in quite a concise paragraph, and wasn't sure how I would wax eloquent on the subject much more than that. I considered opening this piece with a long, detailed backstory about musical lessons and influences throughout my childhood...but the thought started to give me a headache, and I wouldn't wish those unwarranted details on any reader. So if you're pressed for time, or if your attention span has been fatally wounded by technology, feel free to blaze through this synopsis:
By Gabriel Huizenga12 months ago in Motivation
