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 (216)
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Her Voice
Her voice welcomed me into the world in soft, tired tones and it has been there ever since. My mother is a private person, so I won't tell you much about her life other that it has been too hard for such a soft, kind woman. She's tough, my mum, but raw; she feels everything so deeply, cares so intensely that I sometimes wonder why she was burdened with a daughter like me. We are chalk and cheese. I am often hard and unsentimental to the point of callousness, level headed in a crisis but not good at being open or soft day to day. I feel, but do not speak while she showers those around her with love and care in abundance.
By S. A. Crawford10 months ago in Longevity
The Healing Power of Ugly. Top Story - February 2025.
Once upon a time, a while back, I saw a post on Tumblr that to my irritation I can't find again - it said something to the effect of "a woman is a mammal that sweats and grunts" and it seemed to open a pathway in my brain that hasn't closed since. Maybe its the fact that I am down with glandular fever (or 'mono' as my American friends may know it), but that post has been front and centre for the past few days. You see, friends and neighbours, it is hard to feel pretty when you are sick like this. Impossible to feel sexy... And according to media and romantasy we are (woman more so than men, but lets be real all of us) are required to somehow be alluring in one way or another at all times in order to be... well, what exactly? Worthy?
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Humans
The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King
In the early hours of the 24th of March, 1603, a woman struggled to attend to business in the final hours of her life. For days beforehand, she had paced her rooms, stood in silence, or knelt on lavish, plush pillows; she refused to retire to bed because she believed that if she did she would die. As it turned out, she was correct.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in The Swamp
2025; The Writerly Solidarity Project
There are two schools of thought when it comes to writers; first, there are those who say that other writers are competition. Next, those who say other writers are allies... and of course there's boringly predictable me who says that two things can be true. You see, no matter how we wish it wasn't so there are a few choke points in the industry where we are forced to compete with other writers. Agents only have so much time, publishers will only spend so much on new releases per year, and the freelance market is becoming more and more congested.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Motivation
Building on the Past
Potentially unpopular opinion; I would wipe the phrase 'New Year, New Me' from existence if I could. Not that I haven't said it (who hasn't?), usually in the depths of some kind of crisis where I have become convinced that the only possible way to find a better life is to destroy myself entirely and build a new woman. A better woman. A woman without my very human failings and flaws; that woman, I have thought, would be fearless and tireless. She would wake up at 5am without complaint, never sleep in her make-up, and drink more than enough water every day. Her skin would shine and her hair would not be perfect, but pretty in a windblown and genuine way. She would always know what to say. That woman, of course, does not exist - she never had a chance. The funny thing is, this desire for destruction to create a clean slate is an intrinsic part of who I am. I am notorious amongst my writerly friends as the person who writes forty thousand words and then deletes the file, pours three weeks into planning and shreds the notes. If you are a character, a new world, a young story being woven and weaved into a larger shape... I am death. I kill my darlings with fervour.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Motivation
10 Magazines That Pay for Fiction. Top Story - January 2025.
The information in this article is correct as of January 2025. With the New Year just beginning, I know all of you writers will be making resolutions and planning how to progress in the year ahead. Making money from writing isn't everyone's goal, but a shift towards aiming for publication is certainly on my radar. While elbow deep in research, I thought it might be a good idea to share some of what I find!
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in Writers
