History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

The Big Pink Book Prompt 2: We go together like …

| May 18, 2026

The second prompt in the Big Pink Book is simple enough–the line of dots (washi tape) make it perfect for making a list. And the “We go together like …” suggests that it can be for things that go together. The sticker at the bottom involves some concentric circles and dots that reminds me of […]

The Big Pink Book Prompt 1, A Map

| May 11, 2026

The first prompt in the Big Pink Book isn’t entirely a writing prompt. It consists of a blank page and a unmarked map (though the version above has my markings on it). I used these two pages for some reflections on my writing journey. I labeled the blank page with “My Map: my journey as […]

My Handmade Prompt Book

| May 4, 2026

Back in November 2024, I snagged a thick, hot pink, wire-bound notebook. Since then, I’ve added scrapbook paper, stickers, washi tape, and other random ephemera to the pages. I also numbered all of the pages, each of which has some sort of theme. Some of the themes are very clear, while others just have a […]

Planning for 2026

| January 8, 2026

So what’s 2026 looking like? Well, I’m not entirely sure yet. I don’t think I’m completely through my burnout, though I’m making progress. My day job remains hectic. I’ve also been dealing with some health issues on account of getting older (minor in the grand scheme of things, thankfully), so even my best intentions for […]

Video Recommendation: “Hands Up” by Meovv

| June 11, 2025

K-pop has some incredibly surreal and evocative music videos. I’ve written a couple of stories that were inspired by one or more videos, and there are some videos that have a better storyline than some movies! “Hands Up” is a recent track by a new girl group, Meovv (yes, with two Vs instead of a […]

Why I Write (inspired by Wonderbook)

| January 20, 2025

As I mentioned on Friday, my current craft book is Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer. Within the first chapter, he talks about the concept of a Scar or Splinter that creates an irritation, “some kind of galvanizing and enduring impulse,” that then combines with a need to communicate and tell stories. In the margin of the book, […]

Planning for 2025

| January 2, 2025

This is the time of year when normally I would look at my plans and goals for the new year. However, I have to start by admitting that I’ve had a bit of burnout recently. My day job has been extremely busy, which means I often get home from work (or finish my day when I […]

My 2024 Goals!

| January 9, 2024

Time to look at my 2024 goals! I’m primarily focusing on shorter fiction in 2024, as I did in 2023, though I am already brainstorming a couple of of novellas that I might want to write as well. We’ll see if those pan out, though! If I do stick with my focus on shorter fiction, […]

Back from a Trip to Japan!

| May 29, 2023

Jeremy and I spent two weeks visiting Japan (we actually got back a week ago), primarily in Kyoto and Tokyo, but also with a wild dash along the Sea of Japan/East Sea. We were part of a tour group, so we had a lot of our time and activities pre-scheduled, but we also got some […]

My 2023 Goals!

| January 3, 2023

It’s time to look at my 2023 goals! Because I’m steering away from working on novels, my plans for writing shorter pieces are a bit more ambitious. I’ve currently got 16 short stories planned for the year, for which I already have at least a little groundwork done on most of them. I’m clearing out […]